The Bison 



121 



cites some evidence to show that it occurred in 

 the District of Columbia, and quotes Francis 

 Moore, in his " Voyage to Georgia," to prove that 

 there, at least, buffalo were found close to the salt 

 water. 



While Dr. Allen orives the Tennessee River as 

 the southern boundary of the buffalo's range, west 

 of the Alleghanies and east of the Mississippi 

 River, Mr. Hornaday quotes a number of refer- 

 ences to show that it occurred in some numbers 

 in what is now the state of Mississippi, and gives 

 a tradition of the Choctaws, narrated by Clay- 

 borne, in regard to the disappearance of the 

 species from that section. This tradition is to 

 the effect that during the early part of the 

 eighteenth century a great drought occurred 

 there by which the whole country was dried up. 

 For three years not a drop of rain fell. Large 

 streams went dry, and the forest trees all died. 

 Up to that time, it is said, elk and buffalo had 

 been numerous there, but during this drought 

 these animals crossed the Mississippi River and 

 never returned. 



In the eastern portion of its range, the Great 

 Lakes formed a barrier on the north which the 

 buffalo did not pass; but from western New York 



