THE CONSERVATION OF THE 

 WILD LIFE OF CANADA 



CHAPTER I 



INTRODUCTION 



Canada is the home and refuge of the most important 

 and desirable wild animals of this continent. The southern 

 portion of that wonderfully rich and interesting North 

 American fauna that everywhere greeted the early explor- 

 ers and settlers in the United States has melted away be- 

 fore the advancing tide of settlement like snow, and only 

 in the inaccessible places and in a few protected spots has 

 the harried remnant found greater security and an irre- 

 trievable loss been prevented. The northern part of the 

 continent was less tempting to the earlier settlers and more 

 hospitable to its native wild life. The impenetrable for- 

 ests, trackless wilderness, and mountains of Canada afforded 

 a sanctuary to the greater part of the wild life of the conti- 

 nent, and retarded settlement has proved its salvation. 

 The people of the United States now mourn the loss of 

 their wild life and are endeavouring to rescue the remnant 

 from complete extermination, realizing how great an asset 

 it is to the country and the significance of its depletion. 

 A young country enjoys the advantage of being able to 

 [ profit by the mistakes of older countries. It lies within 

 our power to preserve for ourselves, but more particularly 

 for posterity for whom we hold it in trust, the wild life of 

 this country. It rests with us to prove that the advance 

 of civilization into the more remote sections of Canada does 



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