338 BUFFALO LAND. 



away and was replaced by large fresh-water lakes, 

 those of the plains being bounded on the west by the 

 Rocky Mountains. Then succeeded an age of which 

 we can catch but occasional glimpses, and our long- 

 ing becomes intense that we could know more. We 

 see a land fertile as the garden of Eden, surrounding 

 beautiful lakes. The climate is delightful, and earth, 

 air, and water, are full of life. Grand forests and 

 flower-covered prairies nod and blossom under the 

 kind caresses of Nature. Water fowls numberless 

 plunge under and skim over the surface, and the 

 songsters of the air warble forth their hymns of 

 praise. Over the pastures and through the forests 

 roam an animal multitude of which we can have but 

 faint conception, but among the number we recog- 

 nize the lion with his royal mane, and the tiger with 

 his spots ; and there also are the elephant, the mas- 

 todon, the rhinoceros, the wild horse, and the great 

 elk. 



After our return, the eminent naturalist. Prof. 

 Edward D. Cope, A. M., visited the plains, and spent 

 some time in careful exploration there. As he had pre- 

 viously received several fossils from us for examina- 

 tion, I communicated with him not long since, asking 

 a record of his trip. This he very kindly consented 

 to furnish, and, did space permit, I would gladly pub- 

 lish entire the matter which he has placed at my 

 disposal. No apology can be necessary, howeA^er, for 

 yielding to the temptation of devoting two or three 

 chapters to a chat by Prof. Cope with my readers. 



The manuscript, as it lies before me, is entitled: 

 " On the Geology and Vertebrate Palaeontology of 



