The Last of the Buffalo 



It was once thought that the buffalo 

 performed annually extensive migrations, 

 and it was even said that those which 

 spent the summer on the banks of the 

 Saskatchewan wintered in Texas. There 

 is no reason for believing this to have been 

 true. Undoubtedly there were slight gen- 

 eral movements north and south, and east 

 and west, at certain seasons of the year; 

 but many of the accounts of these move- 

 ments are entirely misleading, because 

 greatly exaggerated. In one portion of 

 the northern country I know that there 

 was a decided east and west seasonal mi- 

 gration ; the herds tending in spring away 

 from the mountains, while in the autumn 

 they worked back again, no doubt seek- 

 ing shelter in the rough, broken country 

 of the foothills from the cold west winds 

 of the winter. 



The buffalo is easily tamed when caught 

 as a calf, and in all its ways of life resem- 

 bles the domestic cattle. It at once learns 

 to respect a fence, and manifests no dispo- 

 sition to wander. 



Three years ago there were in this 

 country about two hundred and fifty do- 

 mesticated buffalo, in the possession of 

 about a dozen individuals. Of these the 

 most important herd was that of Hon. 



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