THE CONSERVATION OF THE 
WILD LIFE OF CANADA 
CHAPTER I 
INTRODUCTION 
CaNADA is the home and refuge of the most important 
and desirable wild animals of this continent. The southern 
portion of that wonderfully rich and interesting North 
American fauna that everywhere greeted the early explor- 
ers and settlers in the United States has melted away be- 
fore the advancing tide of settlement like snow, and only 
in the inaccessible places and in a few protected spots has 
the harried remnant found greater security and an irre- 
trievable loss been prevented. The northern part of the 
continent was less tempting to the earlier settlers and more 
hospitable to its native wild life. The impenetrable for- 
ests, trackless wilderness, and mountains of Canada afforded 
a sanctuary to the greater part of the wild life of the conti- 
nent, and retarded settlement has proved its salvation. 
The people of the United States now mourn the loss of 
their wild life and are endeavouring to rescue the remnant 
from complete extermination, realizing how great an asset 
it is to the country and the significance of its depletion. 
A young country enjoys the advantage of being able to 
profit by the mistakes of older countries. It lies within 
our power to preserve for ourselves, but more particularly 
for posterity for whom we hold it in trust, the wild life of 
this country. It rests with us to prove that the advance 
of civilization into the more remote sections of Canada does 
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