from final extinction tlie last remnant of the American l)nH"aloe.s. The 

 national movement for their permanent preservation on a national buf- 

 falo range began in June, 1901-. In December, 1905, a meeting was 

 held in New York City, at which was organized the American Bison 

 Society, for the express purpose of devising ways and means for the 

 establishment of a national bison range somewhere in the Northwest 

 which miglit be set apart for the preservation, by the Government, of a 

 herd of buifalo under the care and control of the National Government. 

 In this movement many distinguished and patriotic citizens have 

 enlisted, and it is through the elforts of these gentlemen tliat a thor- 

 ough investigation has been made of the number of buffalo yet re- 

 maining and some intelligent efforts put forth to find a suitable loca- 

 tion for the permanent preservation of tliis historic animal. The rapid 

 settlement of the public range lands of the Western States, which was 

 the native habitat of the buffalo, has made it difficult to point out any 

 specific location where sufficient land could be secured for the purpose 

 without interfering with the settlement of the country. A year ago an 

 agent of the American Bison Society was authorized to make a tlior- 

 ough investigation of all of the proposed sites where it was possible to 

 establish a permanent range in accordance with the wishes of the 

 society. Special attention was called to the Flathead Indian Reser- 

 vation, in western JNIontana, on account of the fact that the great Pablo- 

 Allard bison herd had grown ii}) on that reservation, from 30 animals 

 to a total of ().'?9 head, not counting between 200 and 300 head previ- 

 ously sold. The history of that herd has amply demonstrated the fact 

 that bison suitably located on the Flathead Reservation could live all 

 the year round by grazing, and without being fed on hay. 



Unfortunately, the society came into existence just one year too 

 late to prevent the sale and the removal to Canada of the Pablo- 

 Allard herd, the Canadian government having two years ago, at an 

 expense of about $200,000, purchased and transported the Pablo- 

 Allard herd to northwestern Canada. The Flathead Reservation is to 

 be opened next year under the act of Congress passed April 28, 

 1904, and if anything is to be done toward securing the proposed range 

 on that reservation, which has been visited and recommended by the 

 agents of the American Bison Society, it must be done at the present 

 session of Congress, as the lands will ])e no longer available after they 

 are thrown 0})en to settlement. 



The American Bison Society have agreed to purchase at their own 

 expense sufficient buffalo as a nucleus for the proposed herd, provided 

 the Government will secure the land and fence the same. Prof. M. J. 

 Elrod, of the University of iNIontana, who was detailed to make the 

 examination of the proposed location, has strongly recommended the 

 site on the Flathead Reservation, as set forth in the bill. The lands 

 therein described are a part of the old range that was formerly occu- 

 pied by the Pablo-Allard herd, before its purchase by the Canadian 

 government, and the fact that the buffalo thrived and increased on this 

 range to such a wonderful extent leads the committee to believe that if 

 any place is selected that these lands are especially ada])ted for the 

 purpose. The bill calls for an appropriation of only $30,000 for the 



