XII. THE EXTINCTION OF ANIMALS 



To readers of American history it seems hardly credible 

 that in the few centuries since the Pilgrims landed in 

 New England entire races have almost been wiped out of 

 existence. The Pilgrims found the country in the hands 

 of native Americans who had lived here, and their ances- 

 tors before them, so long that there is not the slightest 

 legend to point to a date when the American continent was 

 not inhabited ; but the Indians melted away before the 

 whites, the fittest survived, and what was really a war of 

 extermination was carried on. 



When the whites first attempted to clear the forests and 

 establish themselves, the bison or buffalo was common 

 where the city of Washington now stands, and vast herds 

 roamed many of the adjacent States — one of the most re- 

 markable collections of animals, in all probability, in the 

 known world. • In the Middle West the herds were of such 

 size that they at times stopped the cars on the first trans- 

 continental lines, and when in motion, or demoralized, be- 

 came a menace to life of all kinds. It is difficult to estimate 

 the number of these animals, but that there were millions 

 is certain, and they had a wide, indeed remarkable, range 

 from far north down into Texas and from the Rocky Moun- 

 tains to the vicinity of Washington, and doubtless to the 

 Atlantic in some places ; indeed, in a general way they 

 were scattered over the whole continent. 



The bison were the mainstay of the natives, who ate the 



III 



