^QQ Life-histories of Northern Animals 



"Journal in Red River Valley" has shed some light on the 

 Buffalo and most other bygone creatures of that now famous 

 land of grain. 



Henry's observations^^ were made at Park River Post, a 

 fort which he built on the Red River at a point 35 miles south 

 of the International Boundary. The Buffalo lived in that 

 region the year round, though less numerous there than higher 

 up the river. I have collected all his remarks on their migra- 

 tion: 



"18 September, 1800. Immense herds moving south- 

 ward slowly." 



"7 November. Great herd of cows going at full speed 

 southward.^^ 



"i January, 1801. Buffalo in great abundance; the 

 plains entirely covered; all were moving in a body from north 

 to south .^® 



*' 14 January. Country covered with Buffalo moving 

 northward.^" 



" 15 January. The plains were still covered with Buffalo 

 moving slowly northward."" 



During January, 1803, he found the country from Park 

 River to Riding Mountain crowded with Buffalo. ^- 



"15 November, 1805. Terrible snow storm, Buffalo 

 passing northward in as great numbers as I ever saw them."" 



This last is the only record in Henry's "Journal" that con- 

 tradicts the idea of regular migration, but the writer expressly 

 says that it was during a blizzard. In Manitoba blizzards 

 come always from a northerly point. The Buffalo always 

 faced the storm, hence, perhaps, this irregular movement. 



I conclude with Hornaday that the Buffalo did migrate 

 from 300 to 400 miles northward in spring, and as far south- 

 ward again in autumn, but that the regularity of this movement 

 was often much obscured by temporary changes of direction 

 to meet changes of weather, to visit well-known pastures, to 



^^ Alex. Henry's Journal, 1799-1814, pub. 1897. ^'' Ibid., p. 99. ^^ Ibid., p. 136. 

 ''Ibid., p. 162. ^ Ibid., p. 166. *'Ibid., p. 166. 



*-Ibid., p. 208. " Ibid., p. 273. 



