THE AMERICAN BISONS. 149 
In June, 1844, Fremont found them in immense numbers in North, Middle, 
and South Parks, in the present State of Colorado, as well as on the tributa- 
ries of the Green River on the western slope of the mountains, and on the 
Sweet Water, and the other extreme head-waters of the North Platte, from 
all of which extensive region they were nearly or quite exterminated during 
the following twenty years. 
When the miners first visited the parks and mountains of Colorado, in the 
summer of 1859, they found them occupied by small bands of buffaloes, which 
afforded them an abundance of meat for several years. They have been 
scarce there, however, for the last ten years, during which time only strag- 
glers have been met with. In the summer of 1871 I found their skulls still 
frequent in South Park and up the valley of the South Platte to its extreme 
source. They were very frequent at and above Montgomery, and even on 
the neighboring mountains above timber-line, showing that not many years 
ago the buffalo ranged over the grassy slopes of the mountains even to above 
the limit of the timber. . I heard of a single small band of two or three dozen 
individuals near the southern borders of South Park, in the vicinity of Buf- 
falo Springs, and saw a calf at one of the ranches that was captured in June 
of that year as the band passed up the valley of the South Platte into the 
Park.* Mr. Wm. N. Byers, of Denver, Colorado, writes me that a band of 
twelve were seen in South Park in 1873, and that “occasionally a little band 
is still seen in the northern edge of Middle Park and in North Park.” 
“About seventy-five wintered on the head of Muddy or Milk River, Middle 
Park, last winter [1874-75]. Another band was seen on the head-waters 
of Willow Creek, ranging thence over the divide into North Park. Most 
of our people call these mountain animals Bisons, and think them smaller 
than the Plains Buffalo, but they are Sa the same animal, resorting 
to the mountains of their own choice.” 
One of these small parties, according to Western newspapers, seems to 
have recently fallen a prey to the Indians, a Denver paper of a recent date 
containing the following: “A party of Indians in the northwestern edge 
of the Middle Park came upon a herd of buffalo the other day, and killed 
them all, — forty-two in number. All they saved was the skins, leaving the 
meat to rot. Such waste of the game ought to be stopped, and the sooner 
the better.” : 
Dr Hayden informs me that a band of eighteen was seen by one of his 
* Bull. Essex Inst., Vol. VI, pp. 54, 55. 
