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INTEODUCTIOK 



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The material for the description of Bison americcmits^ and for its comparison 

 with the aurochs {Bison honasus), has^ on the other hand; been nearly all that 

 could be desired; far exceeding that ever before brought together. To com- 

 plete, in a measure, the history of this species, several pages are devoted to 

 an account of its habits, based mainly on personal observation ; while Part 



— embracing by far the greater part of the paper — has been devoted 



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entirely to the subject of its geographical distribution, including a history of 



its extirpation from the greater part of its former vast habitat. As bearing 

 upon this general subject, a chapter has been devoted to an account of its 

 products, another to the means and methods used for its destruction, not only 



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by the diiferent Indian tribes, but also by white men, and a third to the few 



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attempts that have been made for its domestication. The preparation of this 

 part of the paper has been very time-taking, the necessary research having 

 absorbed the leisure time of many months. Although extended to so great 

 a length, it cannot be considered as an exhaustive essay on the subject, but 

 it is believed that the conclusions reached will not be much affected by 

 future investigations, though many important details respecting particular 

 districts may yet be added. 



The problem of the best manner of presenting the historical part of the 

 subject has offered many difficulties. I have, however, deemed it best to 

 give the data in full, at the risk of prolixity, rather than to briefly sum- 



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inarize the facts, without giving the basis for the conclusions reached. I 

 have hence often made copious quotations, verbatimy instead of giving simple 

 references to authorities, thereby presenting in full whatever bears upon 

 the special points at issue. As a geographical arrangement of the matter 

 seemed clearest and most logical I have adopted that method of presenta- 

 tion, dividing the area under discussion into several minor geographical 

 regions. After stating in a somewhat general way the boundaries of the 

 habitat of the American bison at the time when the different regions of 

 the continent were first explored by Europeans (as indicated by the facts 

 presented in the pages which follow), every portion of this boundary is after- 

 wards discussed in detail, since the original limits of its range in different 

 directions has been moi'e or less the subject of discrepant opinions. Its 

 original limit to the eastward has especially been a matter of dispute, or at 

 least of conflicting statements, and to a less degree also its original limita- 

 tion to the southward and westward. Taking, for instance, that portion of 

 the United States east of the Mississippi River, — the first region treated in 



^E^SFXnol^Tri:^::^' ^ 



