THE BISON 



THE buffalo was the largest and economically 

 the most important of North American mammals. 

 It was also one of the most numerous, and over 

 a great area of the continent was practically the 

 sole support of its aboriginal inhabitants. Within 

 the memory of men who as yet are hardly middle- 

 aged, it roamed the country between the Missouri 

 River and the Rocky Mountains, in multitudes 

 so vast that it was commonly stated that its num- 

 bers could not be materially reduced, that it would 

 exist long after the speakers had died. Yet, 

 within thirty years it has so absolutely disap- 

 peared that the number of living wild buffalo 

 existing to-day is probably not greater than the 

 herd of European bison commonly, but erro- 

 neously, called aurochs so carefully preserved 

 in the forests of Lithuania by the Russian Czar. 



The history of the buffalo's extermination has 

 been many times written, and the cause of its dis- 

 appearance is not far to seek. It was killed in 



in 



