killed by wolves and bears is approximately given ; and it appears that in
the earlier years from six to eight bison not uncommonly fell annually to
wolves, while in one year bears accounted for five. From the years 1873
to 1893 only ten- head are known to have been destroyed by the former
marauders. Indeed, for the last twenty years the devastation to the herd
caused by wild animals may be regarded as of no practical importance.
With regard to epidemics, there is no doubt that the herd has suffered
Fig. I 5. Dead European Bison. From Prince DemidofPs Hunting Trips in the Caucasus.
much from diseases of this nature. It appears, however, that bison enjoy"
an immunity both from rinderpest and the so-called Siberian pest ; domestic
cattle afflicted with these diseases having on several occasions come into
contact with their wild cousins in the forest. Another disease,.-formerly
attributed to the ill-effects of a certain grass growing in the Bielowitza
swamps, is now ascertained to be due to liver-fluke. Generally this
disease does not do much harm, but in 1884, and .again in 1892, it
assumed a virulent and almost epidemic form ; in the former year
nine, and in the latter upwards of twenty head falling victims to this
scourge.
Passing over certain losses attributed to the bad condition of the fodder
in some years, we may conclude with a brief reference to the author s
viewste to the gradual waning of the Lithuanian bison. This he attributes
tocontinuous in-and-in breeding, the s low n e ® | f breeding of the cows, and
the large percentage of bulls.to the latter. So long ago as 1830 Jarocki
recorded that the cows seldom, i f ever, calved more than once in three
years; while it has been subsequently ascertained that frequently for many
years they remain perfectly sterile, although afterwards they may again
breed. So slow is the increase, that among some forty adults, it is by no
meanfff uncommon tiijpsee not more than four calves, while six is an
abnormally large number. Although it fe now, unfortunately, impossible
to determine what was the original rate of increase of the biffn, judging
from its American cousin,, and other considerations, it was almost certainly
higher than this. Moreover, the production of a high percentage of
males seems an evident sign of degeneration on the part O'the females.
Habits.__In its general habits, to'which some allusion has been made
in the precedinBparagraphs, the European bison appears to be very similar
tljg the woodland variety of the. American species; both being essentially
forest animals. Major Heber Percy states that many of the trees in the
Bielowitza forest are magnificent limes ; and he alsh mentions that the
bison are fond of gracing on a coarse aromatic kind of grass known as zubr
grass, which communicates its aroma to the animals themselves. Other
writers state, however, that they are equally fond'of browsing on the leavesj.
young shoots, bark, and twigs of trees, those of the ash being their especial
favourites. In pursuit of this food they wifi strip whole trees as high up
as they can reach, while, saplings are trampled completely down. In winter
they are driven to subsist entirely on buds, twigs, bark, and such patches
of dry grass and fern as remain. During spring and||ummer the herds