THE 



NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



Vol. 17 December, 1921 No. 9 



A Nature-Study Paradise in Western New York. 



W. P. Alexander 

 Buffalo Museum of Natural History 



In the fall of 1920, the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences 

 to-^ether with the Erie County Society for the Protection of 

 Birds, Fish and Game, started a movement to have the State 

 acquire for the people of Western New York a tract of wild moun- 

 tainous country that would be to the western half of the State 

 what the Palisades Interstate Park is to the east: a great tract 

 suitable for recreation, Nature Study and health building. Under 

 the masterly leadership of Mr. C. J. Hamlin, president of the 

 Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, a committee composed of 

 prominent men from several counties in this part of New York 

 began its work which was consummated with the signing of the 

 Ames Park bill by Governor Miller on May 2d of this year. 

 The initial purchase of 7000 acres was made directly after the 

 Park Commission was appointed by the Governor on June 6tb , 

 and as Mr. C. J. Hamlin, an energetic man, became one of the 

 Commissioners it was decided to put the new Park to immed- 

 iate use by establishing a camp therein for the benefit of the mem- 

 bers of the Roosevelt Field Club, an active auxiliary organization 

 of the Society of Natural Sciences devoted wholly to field Nat- 

 ure-Study. 



Where the New Park is located. The Alleghany River flowing 

 from Pennsylvania enters our State, and making a gigantic 

 bow through the mountains of Cattaraugus Co., sweeps back 

 into the Keystone State again looping within its 50 odd miles of 

 valley the wonderfully picturesque highlands that forms the 

 New State Park domain. At least, when the Park Commission 

 has completed its work of extending the present nucleus, the entire 

 65,000 acres bounded by the Alleghany river on the east, north 



349 



