THE GREAT GAME COUNTRY OF NORTH AMERICA. 51 



the Southern, and we shall briefly sketch their course 

 as seen in the great continent of North America. 



The great game country there may be regarded as the 

 dry regions of Texas, New Mexico, etc. Here the 

 renowned buifalo (or more correctly speaking bison) 

 had his natural home, and congregated in former days 

 in incalculable multitudes during the winter season. 

 But these animals being thick robed, preferred the 

 cooler air of the northern prairies in summer to the 

 great heats of the southern plains; thus with the ad- 

 vent of spring an immense northerly migration set in, 

 which continued right through the great prairie region, 

 and up into the barren grounds of Northern Canada, 

 into what was then known as the Hudson Bay Territory. 



Soon after their arrival there, however, the buffalo 

 encountered the constantly increasing cold of the 

 autumn nights, which warned them that the snows of 

 winter were approaching. This caused them to retreat 

 towards the south, and what was known as the 

 autumn migration set in. Nevertheless considerable 

 bands of these hardy animals used to brave the rigours 

 of the northern winter; they soon, however, found 

 themselves enveloped by the heavy snows which after 

 the middle of November as a rule covered all that 

 country with its icy mantle. The consequence was 

 one might travel long distances there in winter time 

 without seeing a living bird or beast, except perhaps 

 a few bull buffaloes belonging to these bands. The 

 game, as a whole, save and except these buffaloes, 

 and the regular arctic habitants, had all been driven 

 back again in another great migratory stream far to 

 the southward. 



As these matters will be treated of more fully else- 



