The American 13. (boa Amerie.annA of some naturalists, Filson of others) is inter esting as the only species of the ox family indigenous to America, except the musk ox (q.v.) of the subarctic regions. It is commonly called trrilio by the Anglo-Americans, although it is very different from the buffaloes (q.v.) of the obi world. It is found in vast numbers in toe great prairies between the Mississippi and the Rocky mountains; it occurs as far n. as the vicinity of Great Marten lake, in lat. 6:1° or 64'; extensive level and marshy tracts there affording suitable food, although it is nowhere else to he met with in so high a latitude. Its southern limit appears to he in New Mexico. It ts com paratively rare to the W. of the Rocky mountains, and appears to have been rara to the e. of the Appalachians, even on the first settlement of Europeans. Within tic century, however, it was found in the western parts of the state of New York, and to large numhzrs in that of 01110; hut it has now disappeared from the whole region e. of the Mississippi, and it is necessary to advance about 100 In. to the westward of that river before considerable numbers are anywhere to be found. In the western prairies enor mous herds still congregate; great plains are sous Limes spotted and darkened with them as far as the eye can reach; "countless thousands" are described as coming to refresh themselves in stagnant pools; and their paths are said to be, iu some parts of the as frequent and almost as conspicuous as the roads iu the most populous parts of the United States.
About 300,009 Indians are supposed to subsist almost entirely on the flesh of the The spear and the bow and arrow are still much employed by them in hunting it, although many of them also use tire-arms. They frequently pursue it on horseback; but the hunter. whether on horseback or on foot, has often match difficulty in getting within shot, upon account of its keenness of scent, and the speed with which it runs. The chase of the B. is also very dangerous, as it is apt to turn upon an adversary, and even a fleet horse cannot always escape it. Great numbers, however, are sometimes killed when the hunters can succeed in throwing the herds that are scattered over the plains into confusion, so that they run wildly, without heeding whither. Another expedient of the Italians is to set fire to the grass of the prairies around them, when they retire in great consternation to the center, and are easily killed. A sort of pound or inelosnre is somethnes made, with a long avenue leading to it, and an 'embankment of snow, such, that when the animals have descended over it they cannot return, and by this means great numbers are often captured and killed. Livingstone describes a similar expedient as in use for killing wild animals in South Africa. Sometimes, also,
the Indi ins contrive to throw them into consternation, and to make them run towards a precipice, over which many of the foremost are driven by the crowds which throng up behind.
The American B. is very similar to the European. In general, it is of rather smaller size. but this does not appear to be always the case, and it is said sometimes to attain a weight. of 2000 lbs. Its limbs and tail are shorter, and the tail consists of fewer vertebm. The horns are shorter and more blunt. The fore-parts are still more shaggy, and retain inure of their shagginess in summer. The ground upon which ninny naturalists have rested their chief confidence of specific difference has been, however, the presence of an additional pair of ribs, the American B. being said to have 15 pair; but Mr. Vasey has recently ascertained that, like the European B., it has only 14. The more grepurious habit may perhaps he accounted for, like that of the American beaver, by difference of circumstances.
The wolf is quite unable to contend with the B., bat many wolves often hang around the herds, to devour calves which may stray, or :red animals which have become too weak to keep up with the rest. These have sometimes been seen assailed by whole packs of wolves, and dealing death to many of their assailants, before they were com pelled to yield to numbers and hungry pertinacity. The only American animal that is singly capable of overcoming the B. is the grisly bear. See Baia t.
The flesh of the B. is very good, and differs from that of the ox in having, a sort of venison flavor. The hump, in particular, is esteemed a deliency.—Pemndorn (q.v.), so much the food of fur-hunters and northern royageu r& is made of the flesh and fat of the bison.—The tallow forms an important article of trade. One bull sometimes yields 150 lbs. The skins are much used by the Indians for blankets, and, when tanned, as cover in7s for their lodges and beds. A blanket of B.'s skin is not 'infrequently sold for three or fourpounds sterling in Canada, to be used as a traveling cloak or wrapper. The ,Vanden Indians make canoes of B. skins spread upon wicker-work frames. These canoes have the round form of the Welsh (wade (q.v.). The long hair or fleece is spun mid woven into cloth; and some of it which has been brought to England has been made into very tine cloth: stockings, gloves, etc., are also knitted of it. A male B. 3 kids from 6 to 8 lbs. of this long hair.
The few attempts that have been made to domesticate the American B., have been so far successful, that they afford encouragement to further experiments. The size and strength of the animal make it probable that, if domesticated, it would be of great use.