CHAPTER V 

 THE BUFFALO OR BISON 



Its Present, Past, and Future 



The history of the buffalo in North America constitutes 

 one of the greatest tragedies in animal Ufe in historical 

 times. The extent of its destruction appals one by its im- 

 mensity when we consider the character of the animal. It 

 would seem inconceivable that this, the largest of the wild 

 fauna of our continent, should within the limits of the last 

 century, be reduced from countless millions to the point of 

 extermination. Formerly ranging over about one- third of 

 the entire continent, it has been practically wiped out of 

 existence except for small bands of so-called "wood bison," 

 now to be found in the region north of Peace River. That 

 its disappearance was an inevitable result of the develop- 

 ment of the country does not diminish the character of the 

 tragedy. It is the greatest of all our wild animals, and un- 

 doubtedly the most noble of its family in any part of the 

 world. Now, it has practically disappeared from the face 

 of the continent, and only by the foresight of the Canadian 

 and United States Governments has it been prevented from 

 becoming completely exterminated. The history of its dis- 

 appearance and the most complete account we have of this 

 noble member of our native fauna have been given by Horna- 

 day in his memoir, "The Extermination of the American 

 Bison," and it is from this work that I have taken most of 

 the facts that I am about to give regarding its history. 



Its former range in North America, according to Horna- 

 day, was as follows: "Starting almost at tide-water on the 

 Atlantic coast, it extended westward through a vast tract 



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