The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-06

and more luxuriant vegetation quickly sprung
up, and it became fairy circle" Before
this, however, herds of bsons had here success
siycly coated themselves with mrc, each ami
maj wallOWing according 20 the rule among
wild beasts aud wild men; that is to say, in the
order its strength enabled il 10 occupy-the
strongest first, the weaker later Formerly,
when pursued the buffalo always ran up wind,
so that hls scent mi ght indicate danger ahead,
and this trait being wel-known, naturally led
10 fatal results rs hc was of course, waylai1 and
slaughtered. Under the Influence OF a panic,
great herds swept over the pTairics, suffering
much loss from those accidents which bclall all
notwithstanding crowds. In smaller numbers,
and in hiiiy countries. they invariably broke
their continuous run in making asccuts, and
- went down the slope either at a galop or a
swift trot' Great harlihood and endurance
are Characteristic Of the species. The buffalo
used to face the storms OF Winter instead Of
turning tail and drifting before them help
lessly, IS domestic cattle do Where the lay
of the land afforded shelter, this was taken
advantage of, aud upon the whole the physical
characters and constitution Of the animal en-
abled IL 10 rcsis, successfully the extreme Cli-
mate OF IFS habitat, and very few Of its immense
numbers persisted from starvation, fatigue, or
cold. Unlike most other terrestrial quad rupeds
o! America, 50 long as lie could roam at viii, the
buffalo had settled migratory habits" moving
hgAk IA anu EyAtts. atCblAf4iE 10 tue Hc.iAoi III
immense masses. ON the Summer ranges IL
was the habit of the cows 10 leave tile bulls at
calying time, aud thus il then happened that
small herds were often seen composed of bulls
only. Is soon rs the Young calves were
brought into the herd, which for prudential
reasons occurred al the earliest possible mo-
men:, the bulls assumed the duty Of protecting
thgm from the wolves which at all times con.
gregatcd III the vicinity. calf al
ways followed its mother until its successor
was appointed and installed, and il sucked up
10 " nine months old, or even older" With re-
gard 10 the mental capacity and disposition of
the bison Mr. Hornaday says. that in the past
i was an animal Of a rather low order of In.
iciiigcucc,n and that its 'dullncss Of intellect
was one OF the most important factors in its
phcu0mchaliy swirl determination" The buf.
lalo was pIOyokiuely slow in c0mprchcndiug
the existence aud nature Of the dangers that
threatened his life and as the most striking
illustration Of this stupidity. he would often
stand quietly aud see two or three score or
even hundred. Of his relatives aud compan.
ions shot down before his eyes with no other
feeling tHau ouc # stupid wonder aud curiOs-
Ity." Like tic iur-sedi, aud like men also
numbers gave a false feeling Of security aud
when be learned better il was too late The
last butlaioes continues Dir. HOTnaday, were
mentally a. capable Of taxing care Of them
selves as any animals ! ever hunted =" but by
this time their tarly development Of protective
faculty was nullifed by the ingeniion Of long
range brcech-oadcrs. They Nere compare
lively secure from bow or spear, aud but for
the use Of firearms those very same builal0cs
would have been actuly safe from harm by
man, would have increased indefinitely
aud the resultant race would have dis.
played far more active mental powers kecncr
vision, and a finer physique"
A il was, the brute wonld deliberately
walk into qu.cksand" and as many Of his com
paHious followed a could iad room in which 10
!nguf themselves. They remained TO be
slaughtered IA pens that would not have re-
sisted au attempt 10 escape for moment. Rank
after rank they followed their leaders over
pFecipiccs and we're dashed 10 death, aud they
drowned themselves in streams after the same
manner Curiosity was but slightly deycoBed
ia the bison, aud ." his stolId indifference 10
everything he did not understand cost him
Els existence" Also 80 it was very seldom that
the buffalo cyiuced any courage save that
Oi despair he was IAN exceedingly quiet
peace-.Oy.Hg and even INDECENT animal at all
times save during tho rutting season." and his
emotions were as torpid as his mind. while
the buffalo cows manifested "A fair degree of
affection lor their young" and the bulls, as be.
fore said, guarded them calves were unhesita.
tngly abandoned when they gave ont on a
journey OF when the parents were frightened,
aud they were constantly left TO perish in diff
Icult g from which most other creatures would
al once have cEtricated their offspring
At this point il becomes evident that space
ioIbds anything like complete resume Of tho
contents Of this work, aud the facts which fol-
low are only those which seem most important.
- The disappearance Of the bison from tie
Eastern United States was due to its cOnsump-