PREFACE. 



Having been a wanderer for nearly seven years in 

 the Far West, a part of the time being ere railways 

 were known there, and when very few whites, except 

 the troops, were found in regions which now boast of 

 thousands, I devoted particular attention to studying 

 the fauna of the country, especially the game, whether 

 it was fur, fin, or feather. 



My object in preparing this work has been to give 

 the general characteristics, the haunts, habits, and the 

 best method of hunting the largest class of game; 

 and as my facts are derived from personal experi- 

 ence, and from that of some of the most famous scouts 

 and hunters I met in the "West, I hope they may be 

 found generally accurate. 



The contests between men and the fiercer creatures 

 which are related were, when I do not speak person- 

 ally, heard around the camp-fire or in the Indian's wig- 

 wam, and one or two were culled from Western news- 

 papers. 



Having no .desire to pose as a Nimrod, I may say 

 that some of my hunting was as much for the pur- 

 pose of studying the feras natures as for killing them, 

 and that their life was frequently more pleasing to me 

 than their death. 



