460 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 188?. 



latter and the far of a buffalo, I will have a robe that will bring more 

 money than we get for the average range steer." 



In November, 1888, Mr. Jones purchased Mr. Bedson's entire herd, 

 and in the following mouth proceeded to ship a portion of it to Kansas 

 City. Thirty- three head were separated from the remainder of the herd 

 on the prairie near Stony Mountain, 12 miles from Winnipeg, and 

 driven to the railroad. Several old bulls broke away en route and ran 

 back to the herd, and when the remainder were finally corraled in the 

 pens at the stock-yards "they began to fight among themselves, and 

 some fierce encounters were waged between the old bulls. The younger 

 cattle were raised on the horns of their seniors, thrown in the air, and 

 otherwise gored." While on the way to St. Paul three of the half-breed 

 buffaloes were killed by their companions. On reaching Kansas City 

 and unloading the two cars, 13 head broke away from the large force 

 of men that attempted to manage them, stampeded through the city, 

 and finally took refuge in the low-lands along the river. In due time, 

 however, all were recaptured. 



Since the acquisition of this northern herd and the subsequent press 

 comment that it has evoked, Mr. Jones has been almost overwhelmed 

 with letters of inquiry in regard to the whole subject of buffalo breed- 

 ing, and has found it necessary to print and distribute a circular giving 

 answers to the many inquiries that have been made. 



Herd of Mr. Charles Allard, Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana. — 

 This herd was visited in the autumn of 1888 by Mr. G-. O. Shields, of 

 Chicago^ who reports that it consists of thirty-five head of pure-blood 

 buffaloes, of which seven are calves of 1888, six are yearlings, and six 

 are two-year olds. Of the adult animals, four cows and two bulls are 

 each fourteen years old, " and the beards of the bulls almost sweep the 

 ground as they walk." 



Herd of Hon. W. F. Cody {"Buffalo Bill ").— The celebrated " Wild West 

 Show" has, ever since its organization, numbered amongst its leading 

 attractions a herd of live buffaloes of all ages. At present this herd 

 contains eighteen head, of which fourteen were originally purchased of 

 Mr. H. T. Groome, of Wichita, Kansas, and have made a journey to 

 London and back. As a proof of the indomitable persistence of the 

 bison in breeding under most unfavorable circumstances, the fact that 

 four of the members of this herd are calves which were born in 1888 in 

 London, at the American Exposition, is of considerable interest. 



This herd is now (December, 188S) being wintered on General Beale's 

 farm, near the city of Washington. In 1886-'S7, while the Wild West 

 Show was at Madison Square Garden, New York City, its entire herd of 

 twenty buffaloes was carried off by pleuro-pneumonia. It is to be greatly 

 feared that sooner or later in the course of its travels the present herd 

 will also disappear, either through disease or accident. 



Herd of Mr. Charles Goodnight, Clarendon, Texas. — Mr. Goodnight 

 writes that he has "been breeding buffaloes in a small way for the past 



