The Last of the Buffalo 



from southern Texas north to their north- 

 ern limit, and much of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. In Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, 

 and most of New Mexico they were abun- 

 dant, and probably common over a large 

 part of Utah, and perhaps in northern Ne- 

 vada. So far as now known, their western 

 limit was the Blue Mountains of Oregon 

 and the eastern foothills of the Sierra 

 Nevada. 



Thus it will be seen that the buffalo 

 once ranged over a large part of the Amer- 

 ican Continent, Dr. Allen says one-third 

 of it ; but it must not be imagined that 

 they were always present at the same time 

 in every part of their range. They were 

 a wandering race, sometimes leaving a dis- 

 trict and being long absent, and again re- 

 turning and occupying it for a considerable 

 period. What laws or what impulses gov- 

 erned these movements we cannot know. 

 Their wandering habits were well under- 

 stood by the Indians of the Western plains, 

 who depended upon the buffalo for food. 

 It was their custom to follow the herds 

 about ; and when, as sometimes occurred, 

 these moved away and could not be found, 

 the Indians were reduced to great straits 

 for food, and sometimes even starved to 

 death. 



208 



