138 The Bison 



to east, and the buffalo travelled in single file, their 

 trails ran at right angles to the course of the 

 rivers, or north and south. It is quite possible 

 that the directions of these trails, deeply worn, 

 and showing the passage of great numbers of ani- 

 mals, may have given rise to the popular belief in 

 this north and south migration. 



At the same time, it is true that the buffalo 

 herds were more or less constantly in motion. 

 As they were very numerous, it was obviously 

 essential that they should move constantly, to 

 reach fresh grazing grounds. Often, too, they 

 were disturbed by hunters, red or white, who 

 stampeded the herds, which then rushed off in a 

 close mass, perhaps not to stop for ten or a dozen 

 miles. Besides that, frequently, the prairie was 

 burned, so that they were deprived of food, and 

 long journeys must be made to reach fresh graz- 

 ing grounds. 



Not very much is known, and very much less 

 has been written concerning the tendency in ani- 

 mals, wild and domestic, to confine themselves to 

 particular localities ; yet all people who live much 

 out of doors understand, even though they may 

 not reason much about it, how very local in habit 

 many birds and animals are. The ranchman, of 



