BIOLOGICAL PAPERS. 161 



Later the Sac and Fox Indians on their annual fall hunt camped in 

 that bend, and with the aid of their dogs killed an immense panther." 



A little farther on, Mr. Mead says: "In 1865 I saw one on the 

 White Water, in Butler county, close to the Means ranch, where 

 Towanda now stands." This is only a few miles, apparently not more 

 than fifteen or twenty, from the place where Lieutenant Pike saw a 

 panther some sixty years before. 



In volume IV of the Transactions of this society, bearing the date 

 of a meeting held October 12 to 13., Prof. M. V. B. Knox, of Baker 

 University, reported a "specimen taken about nine years ago at Valley 

 Falls,^ by Mr. Whitman, and identified by him." 



In the Bulletin of the Washburn College Laboratory of Natural 

 History, volume I, No. 2, page 12, Professor Cragin, in his notes on 

 some Kansas mammals, says : "Seven specimens (referring to Ameri- 

 can lions) are known to the writer to have been observed (three of 

 them killed and the fourth, a cub, captured alive) in Harper, Barber 

 and Comanche counties during the prolonged cold of December'^ and 

 three of these have come under his personal observation." No defi- 

 nite date or locality is given for any of these specimens. 



In volume VI, page 56, of the proceedings of this Academy, Mr. 

 A. B. Baker, of Wa Keeney, Kan., jjublished a list of the mammals of 

 western Kansas, but does not mention the American lion. 



On Monday afternoon, August 15, 1904, Mr. William Applebaugh 

 and Mr. J. H. Spratt, of Hays City, Ellis county, Kansas, killed an 

 American lion while out hunting near that city. This lucky find 

 was made in a ravine about one-half mile east of John Roth's place 

 and just north of Catherine. 



This latter-named place is a small town located on Victoria creek, 

 and about seven miles northeast of Hays City. The animal, when 

 first discovered by Mr. Applebaugh and his bird-dog in a thicket of 

 bushes and vines, was thought to be a coyote. However, the mistake 

 was soon discovered when a real American lion emerged from the un- 

 derbrush. Mr. Applebaugh and Mr. Spratt succeeded in killing the 

 animal at a few yards distance, by shooting it in the side with No. 8 

 bird-shot. 



Twenty years have passed since Professor Cragin reported the ani- 

 mals from the southern counties of the state. I know of no record of 

 an animal being killed during this intervening period. 



The question naturally suggests itself. Where did it come from ? 

 The animal was not seen or heard of in the neighborhood of Hays 

 City until it was found and killed. Though a young animal, only 



4. In Jefferson county, Kansas. 



5. This would be December, 1884, as the report was submitted to the printer in January, 1885. 



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