FIFTIETH CONGRESS, 1887-1889. 1153 
States to-day is without a zoological garden, or even the semblance of one. With 
our quadrupeds and birds both great and small being rapidly swept out of existence, 
we have as yet taken no steps whatever to preserve a good collection of living speci- 
mens for the advancement of science and the instruction of the people. 
NEED. 
It surely is unnecessary to urge the great desirability and even the necessity that 
exists for the immediate establishment of such an institution as that contemplated in 
this Senate amendment; but it is possible that many members of this House, who 
have been engrossed in other questions of public importance, have not until recently 
had their attention called to this matter, and it may be as well to briefly direct atten- 
tion to the reasons for urgency in the consideration of this measure. In the first 
place, many specimens of our most important and conspicuous North American quad- 
rupeds are very rapidly approaching extermination. So far as his existence in the 
wild state is concerned, the great American bison, the grandest and once the most 
valuable ruminant on the earth, is already considered by naturalists as an extinct 
animal. 
In the whole of the British possessions not a single wild buffalo remains. In the 
whole of the United States, where it is estimated between eight and ten millions 
existed as late as the building of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1868, only twenty 
short years ago, there exist to-day not over 125 buffaloes in a wild state. Of these, 
50 head, or less, are in northern Texas, and will all be slaughtered by hunters next 
fall and winter. The remaining 75 head are in the Yellowstone Park, but every year 
a number of head wander out on the north and west and are promptly killed by the 
hunters who eagerly watch for them. Six months ago the Government had not a 
live buffalo anywhere in its possession, nor had any means been taken to provide 
against the total extermination of the species. It is true that various private parties 
own captive buffaloes, but the species is in danger of being lost through crossbreed- 
ing with domestic cattle. 
The naturalists of this country, and even of England, declare that it is the duty of 
the National Government to secure a herd of American bison, and preserve it under 
the best conditions, not only for the public of to-day, but for future generations. But 
for the wise forethought of the Czar of Russia, exercised many years ago in a similar 
direction toward the last representatives of the European bison, or aurochs, that spe- 
cies would have been utterly exterminated long ago. Science and the public demand 
that the United States Government should do as well by the last representatives of 
our most characteristic quadruped. Three months ago a New York patron of science, 
Mr. E. G. Blackford, purchased a pair of buffaloes in Nebraska and presented them 
to the National Museum, where they may be seen to-day—the only living representa- 
tives of the species in the possession of the Government. But instead of two only 
we should have a herd of at least twenty head. 
It has been predicted by those who are in possession of all the facts that within five 
years the rare and really wonderful Rocky Mountain goat will also be totally extinct 
in the United States. At the Cincinnati exposition, in the Smithsonian exhibit, 
there are now displayed seventy skins of the mountain goat, which were brought into 
Denver and sold for the paltry sum of 50 cents apiece. And yet this animal exists 
in so few localities and is really so scarce in numbers that only the largest scientific 
museums in this country and Europe have even stuffed skins. 
American naturalists and sportsmen assure us that the elk, moose, antelope, cari- 
bou, black-tailed deer, grizzly bear, wolf, beaver, otter, wolverine, and many other 
large quadrupeds that could be named if time permitted, are rapidly approaching 
extermination. Railroads are being built everywhere, and sportsmen now go every- 
where in pursuit of every living thing that is large enough to shoot with a gun or 
H. Doe. 732 73 
