ON THE PRAIRIE 109 



huge buffalo, in countless myriads, ranged 

 over the greater part of a continent. Its 

 nearest relative, the Old World aurochs, 

 formerly found all through the forests of 

 Europe, is almost as near the verge of ex- 

 tinction, but with the latter the process has 

 been slow, and has extended over a period 

 of a thousand years, instead of being com- 

 pressed into a dozen. The destruction of 

 the various larger species of South African 

 game is much more local, and is proceeding 

 at a much slower rate. It may truthfully be 

 said that the sudden and complete extermi- 

 nation of the vast herds of the buffalo is 

 without a parallel in historic times. 



No sight is more common on the plains 

 than that of a bleached buffalo skull; and 

 countless numbers attest the abund- 

 ance of the animal at a time not so very long 

 past. On those portions where the li 

 made their last stand, the carcasses, dried 

 in the clear. hi<jh air, or the mouldering 

 skeletons, abound. Last year, in crossing 

 the country around the heads of the Big 



