In Buffalo Days 
the territory in which they ranged vast, they 
held out here for some years. It was in this 
country, and against the last survivors of this 
southern herd, that ‘‘ Buffalo Jones” made 
his successful trips to capture calves. 
The extirpation of the northern herd was 
longer delayed. No very terrible slaughter 
occurred until the completion of the Northern 
Pacific Railroad; then, however, the same 
scenes of butchery were enacted. Buffalo 
were shot down by tens of thousands, their 
hides stripped off, and the meat left to the 
wolves. The result of the crusade was soon 
seen, and the last buffalo were killed in the 
Northwest near the boundary line in 1883, 
and that year may be said to have finished 
up the species, though some few were killed 
in 1884 to 1885. 
After the slaughter had been begun, but 
years before it had been accomplished, the 
subject was brought to the attention of Con- 
gress, and legislation looking to the preser- 
vation of the species was urged upon that 
body. Little general interest was taken in 
the subject, but in 1874, after much discus- 
sion, Congress did pass an act providing for 
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