the neck,
hump, and shoulders are covered with a long woolly hair of a dusky brown
colour, intermingled with a short soft fur of a fawn colour. The long
hair is gradually cast in the summer, to be again renewed as the
inclemency of winter comes on. The legs, back, and posterior portions
are covered with short, dark brown hair. The tail is of a moderate
length, is covered with hair, and terminates in a large tuft.

The females are not so large as the males, neither are they
characterised by that abundance of hair on the anterior parts, which is
so conspicuous in the bulls.

These animals have never been domesticated, although calves have
sometimes been caught, and confined in an enclosed pasture. An instance
of this kind is recorded by Mr. Gilibert, who, while in Poland, had the
opportunity of observing the character of four young ones thus reared in
captivity. They were suckled by a she-goat, obstinately refusing to
touch a common cow. This antipathy to the domestic cow, which they
manifested so early, maintained its strength as they advanced in years;
their anger was sure to be excited at the appearance of any domestic
cattle, which, whenever introduced to them, they vigorously expelled
from their pasture. They were, however, sufficiently tame to acknowledge
the voice of their keeper.

The geographical range of this animal is now comparatively very limited,
being confined to the forests of Lithuania, Moldavia, Wallachia, and
some of the Caucasian mountain forests; yet there can be no doubt that,
at an early period, they roamed at large over a great part of both
Europe and Asia.

Although they have never been, strictly speaking, domesticated, yet
herds of them are kept in certain localities in the forest of
Bialowieza, under the special protection of the Emperor of Russia, and
under the immediate superintendence of twelve herdsmen, each herdsman
keeping the number allotted to his charge in a particular department of
the forest, near some river or stream. The estimated number of the
twelve herds is about 800.

They feed on grass and brushwood; also on the leaves and bark of young
trees, particularly the willow, poplar, ash, and birch. In autumn they
likewise browse on heath, and the lichens which cover the bark of trees.
In winter, when the ground is covered with snow, fodder is provided for
them.

Their cry is quite peculiar, resembling a groan, or a grunt, more than
the lowing of an ox.

They do not attain t