ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT 
Ladies and Gentlemen: 
We have come together to-day at the end of the 
fourth year in the history of the American Bison Society 
to briefly review the work already accomplished, and 
to plan for the future. A work which was begun four 
years ago as a vision has made even greater progress than 
could at that time have been anticipated in a decade. 
The first President of the Society, Dr. William T. 
Hornaday, acting from the same purpose as that for 
which this Society was created was chiefly instrumental 
as Director of the New York Zoological Park and Presi- 
dent of this Society, in establishing a national bison herd 
in the Wichita Mountain Range in 1908. The Yellow- 
stone herd four years ago contained 70 buffaloes in a poor 
and perishing condition. It now contains 125 buffaloes 
in excellent condition, including 29 calves added to the 
herd last spring. The Canadian Government acting on 
the suggestion and example of this Society has now three 
herds numbering about 943, or about one-third of all 
the known pure buffaloes in existence. The Montana 
National Range, established by the National Government 
in 1910 with the co-operation of this Society. which 
furnished for the range 40 buffaloes, was increased in the 
spring of 1910 to 51, including 11 calves, and in the spring 
of 1911 was increased to 69, including 18 calves. 
The total number of buffaloes known to exist has 
increased in four years from 1310 to 2760, an increase of 
111%. If the work done by the American Bison Society, 
by the National Government, and by the Canadian 
Government is continued faithfully and persistently for 
a series of years, the future of the American bison will in 
all human probability be assured. 
The action of the Board of Managers of the Society 
during 1911 is recorded on pages 20 to 33 of the Fourth 
Annual Report, copies of which have been furnished to all 
the members of the Society, including the subscribers to 
the Montana bison herd. 
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