1*1 THE AMERICAN BISONS. 



plains or spent much time in the buffalo country has also called attention to 

 this exterminating slaughter, and predicted their complete annihilation at no 

 very distant date. Some writers believed twenty or thirty years ago that 

 they would hardly survive to the present time unless protected by the gov- 

 ernment. 



Dr. Leidy, in 1 S-~>l2. says: "The day is not far distant when it [the buffalo] 

 will become epiite extinct, unless protected by a munificent republic, as has 

 been done by the Emperor of Russia in the ease of the aurochs, or European 

 bison."* Professor Baird, writing at about the same time, says : -Still, vast 

 as these herds are. their numbers are much less than in earlier times, and 

 they are diminishing with fearful rapidity. Every year sees more or less 

 change in this respect, as well as alterations of their great line of travel. 

 .... If it were possible to enforce game-laws, or any other laws on the 

 prairies, it would be well to attach the most stringent penalties against the 

 barbarous practice of killing buffalo merely for the sport, or perhaps for the 

 tongues alone. Thousands are killed every year in this way. After all. 

 however, it is perhaps the Indian himself who commits the mischief most 

 wantonly." t 



General W. F. Raynolds, in bis report of his Exploration of the Yellow- 

 stone in 1859 and 1860, thus refers to this matter :t "And here 1 would 

 remark, that the wholesale destruction of the buffalo is a matter that should 

 receive the attention of the proper authorities. It is due to the fact that the 

 skin of the female is alone valuable for robes. Tin 1 skin of the male over 

 three years old is never used for that purpose, the hair on the hind quarters 

 being not longer than that on a horse, while on the fore quarters it has a 

 length of from four to six inches. The skin is also too thick and heavy to 

 be used for anything hut lodge coverings, while the flesh is coarse and 

 unpalatable, and is never \\>n\ for food when any other can lie had. The 

 result is that the females are always singled out by the hunter, and conse- 

 quently the males in a herd always exceed the females, in the proportion of 

 ten to one. Another, but far less important cause of their extinction is the 

 immense number of wolves in the country, which destroy the young. The 

 only remedy that would have the slightest effect in the case woidd be a pro- 

 hibition of the trade of buffalo-robes, and a premium upon wolf-skins. I fear 



Extinct Spa :ie« "f American < »\. p. I (Smith. Contrib., Vol. V, Art. iii). 

 ♦ Pal Ofl ft p., Vu. ..It . 1801 '■-'. Pari II. p 



iloration <.f i!»- YVillowal p. II, published In 



