American Game 43 



there are the red, cross, and silver gray, common, and 

 plentiful in places. 



There are said to be a few bison or buffalo yet in 

 the mountains of Colorado ; but they are very rare, and 

 protected by law. Wolverine are found, but are not 

 common. Otter are uncommon. Of beaver there are 

 a good many left, but they are now protected by law. 

 Mink are abundant. Marten are common, and musk- 

 rat are found along nearly all the streams. 



Rabbit, especially jack-rabbit, are so plentiful in some 

 parts of the state as to be a pest. They are found chiefly 

 on the plains, while the cottontail is found in the 

 mountains and plains below 7,000 feet altitude. 



Squirrel are numerous ; so are woodchuck and other 

 small game, which is dwarfed into insignificance by the 

 nobler game. 



The feathered game of Colorado is abundant. Of the 

 grouse family there are the sharp-tailed grouse, dusky 

 grouse, Richardson's grouse, sage-grouse, some ruffed 

 grouse, and a few prairie-hen or pinnated grouse. All 

 of the varieties of quail .have been introduced into Colo- 

 rado, including the bob-white, but these birds are pro- 

 tected by law at the present time. Some ptarmigan are 

 found. 



Water-fowl are found in great variety, among them 

 being geese, brant, many varieties of duck, snipe, 

 plover, and curlew. Dove shooting is practiced by 

 some in the months of July, August, and September. 

 Colorado is in line of flight between Puget sound and 

 the Gulf coast, and the more northerly flights which 

 migrate to and from the Manitoba region and points as 

 far south as Louisiana, Texas, and old Mexico. Migra- 



