BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE AT FLATHEAD LAKE. 131 



the road, but went up and down hills as they pleased. They are sure 

 footed, quick and nimble. The cows are always on the alert to see an, 

 opportunity to escape, and move very quickly. After escaping they 

 immediately return to the herd. 



The animals paid little attention to barb-wire fences, and went 

 through on many occasions. After they were put into the high fenced 

 corral at the stockyards they mashed down the gate, several escaping. 



In crossing a river with ice it is necessary to make a good trail with 

 horses, so the tracks may be visible, otherwise they will not cross. They 

 look first at the near side, then at the far side, then dash across. An 

 old bull will probably lead, when all will follow. They are sure footed, 

 and take ice as easily as a shod horse. They plunge into water without 

 hesitation when separated from the herd and are returning and swim 

 easily and rapidly. The cows are much harder to handle than the bulls. 



They usually range in two main herds, but in the winter of 1901, they 

 were in three herds. These are further split up into small bands of 

 from a few to several dozen. 



The range of tne buffalo herd is along the Pend d'Oreille river, in 

 the Flathead Indian reserve. Occasionally they wander into the cultivated 

 fields of the Indians and squaw men. They range over a territory 8 to 

 10 miles long and about as wide. With them are many herds of cattle 

 and horses. It takes a practiced eye to determine whether a speck 

 on the horizon is a herd of buffalo, of cattle or of horses. 



A herder is kept with the animals continually. He knows where 

 they are, keeps note of the increase, looks after the calves and the herd 

 generally, much more closely than for domestic cattle. 



Every Chirstmas season a few of the largest and finest bulls are sold 

 to the butchers of the adjacent large towns, Kalispell, Missoula, Butte 

 and Helena. These are sold over the counter as meat, while the heads 

 are retained as mounts. Considering the few remaining animals in the 

 world this seems a public calamity. But as the herd is owned by private 

 individuals to whom appeals for the public interest and for science are 

 of no avail, and who by law may do as they please with their own, the 

 business is likely to continue. The price put upon the animals when 

 sought by eastern people for parks and zoological gardens is so high that 

 sales are almost out of the question, since the freight haul is long, 

 the tariff high, and danger of death before the end of the trip not im- 

 probable. It is too bad some means cannot ue devised to save the lives 

 of the large fine bulls slain annually. It is claimed, however, that most 

 of the animals thus killed are stags. 



The steps one must take to see the herd are about as follows: One 

 may either ride on horseback or take a rig, preferably a buggy. If he is 

 wise he will also secure the services of an Indian as guide, to locate the 

 herd and "round up" the smaller herds into one large bunch. There is 

 no telling where the herd will be on the range. As a consequence the 

 Indian starts out toward the high butte near which they are most fre- 

 quently found. When a herd is sighted the guide will ride toward it 

 until he can determine whether they are buffaloes or some other animals. 

 In the latter case he takes another direction until another herd is sighted. 

 It not infrequently happens that one travels for hours before seeing the 



