a. P r a ir ie R a c e—Bos bison t y p ic u s
Characters^§-Generally those given above, the distinctive .points of the
woodland race being mentioned below.
Distribution?—That portion of the range of the species lying to the
south of the distributional area of the woodland race.
HabitsW-So much has been written on the habits and extermination
of the American bison of the prairies, that it is difficult to know what to
select, while it ■ is'fpbvious that nothing new can now be written. The
best account of the extermination of the bison from the prairies. is||||ne by
Mr. W. T. Hornaday ; while for a graphic description of the enormoǤ
herds which formerly covered these pastures the writings of Colonel
Dodge may be consulted. Mr. C. L. Herrick, in his Mammals j f ‘
Minnesota, gives an excellent resume of the general bab'itsBf'. the- animal,
and Dr. J. A. Allen’s memoir wilLalways ^remain as the most copious
history previous to the extermination we yet possess,; :
In the time of its abundance the_bison was an essentially gregarious
animal, congregating in herds of such vast magnitude as actually to
darken the prairies as far as the eye could reach. Possibly its numbers
may have been rivalled by the herds of spring-buck which formerly
wandered over the Transvaal ; but with this exception, it was probably
unique in regard to. numerical abundance among Ungulates, and no other
animal of equal bodily dimensions ever approached it in this respect.
Gregariousness, as has been well observed, necessarily implies periodical
migration when the herds are large ; and the bison of the prairies was
a thorough wanderer. Seasonal changes compelled them at one time to
travel in the direction of the mountains, and at another in the opposite
direction ; while variations in the supply of food and water entailed minor
movements in addition to their regular wandering^ Such thousands of
animals'would soon consume and destroy vast areas of herbage ; and it has
even been suggested that at the time of the maximum development of
the- race the vast prairies of the north-west were none too large for the
sustenance of the herds of bison with which they were covered. The
course of streams and fivers marked out to a considerable extent the main
direction of migration ; but such lines of march were often altered owing
to the occurrence, of prairie fires or the presence of devastating hordes of
locusts. Previous to the days of railroads, which aided so materially inputting
a term to the existence of the race, the periodical migrations
B f the bison to and fro were j£| Constant and regular that the time for
the arrival and departure of the herd in any one locality could be predicted
with a close approximation tpt Correctness Ac
When the herd was alarmed iSor in dangefiits members, as is so
generally the case with animals associating in large bodies, seemed to
A aipsense of individual responsibility, and rushed madly forwards,
heedless o f objects1 which would have effectually stayed the progress of
■ olitary animals, N||danger in front would indeed, (stop the advance o f
the herd, although unwonted interruptions in its rear would give rise to
hopeless confusion.
As an example of this .state of affairs the following account from the
pen of Colonel Dodge may be quoted The winter of 1871-72 was
unusually severe in Kansas. The ponds, and smaller .streams to the north
were all frozen S lid , and the bison were forced to the rivers for water.
The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad was then in course of
, construction. I f a herd was on the north side of the track it would stand
Stupidly-.grazing and without symptom of alarm, though the gicomotive
passed within 4 ; hundred yards. I f on the ,-&outhgde of the track, even
though at a distance of- one or two miles, the passage gj| a train set the
whole herd in the wildest commotion. At its full speed, and utterly
regardless of consequences, it would make for the track on its line of