BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE AT FLATHEAD LAKE. 131 
the road, but went up and down hills as they pleased. They are sure 
footed, quick and nimble. The cows are always on the alert to see an 
opportunity to escape, and move very quickly. After escaping they 
immediately return to the herd. 
The animals paid little attention to barb-wire fences, and went 
through on many occasions. After they were put into the high fenced 
corral at the stockyards they mashed down the gate, several escaping. 
In crossing a river with ice it is necessary to make a good trail with 
horses, so the tracks may be visible, otherwise they will not cross. They 
look first at the near side, then at the far side, then dash across. An 
old bull will probably lead, when all will follow. They are sure footed, 
and take ice as easily as a shod horse. They plunge into water without 
hesitation when separated from the herd and are returning and swim 
easily and rapidly. The cows are much harder to handle than the bulls. 
They usually range in two main herds, but in the winter of 1901, they 
were in three herds. These are further split up into small bands of 
from a few to several dozen. 
The range of tue buffalo herd is along the Pend d’Oreille river, in 
the Flathead Indian reserve. Occasionally they wander into the cultivated 
fields of the Indians and squaw men. They range over a territory 8 to 
10 miles long and about as wide. With them are many herds of cattle 
and horses. It takes a practiced eye to determine whether a speck 
on the horizon is a herd of buffalo, of cattle or of horses. 
A herder is kept with the animals continually. He knows where 
they are, keeps note of the increase, looks after the calves and the herd 
generally, much more closely than for domestic cattle. 
Every Chirstmas season a few of the largest and finest bulls are sold 
to the butchers of the adjacent large towns, Kalispell, Missoula, Butte 
and Helena. These are sold over the counter as meat, while the heads 
are retained as mounts. Considering the few remaining animals in the 
world this seems a public calamity. But as the herd is owned by private 
individuals to whom appeals for the public interest and for science are 
of no avail, and who by law may do as they please with their own, the 
business is likely to continue. The price put upon the animals when 
sought by eastern people for parks and zoological gardens is so high that 
sales are almost out of the question, since the freight haul is long, 
the tariff high, and danger of death before the end of the trip not im- 
probable. It is too bad some means cannot ve devised to save the lives 
of the large fine bulls slain annually. It is claimed, however, that most 
of the animals thus killed are stags. 
The steps one must take to see the herd are about as follows: One 
may either ride on horseback or take a rig, preferably a buggy. If he is 
wise he will also secure the services of an Indian as guide, to locate the 
herd and “round up” the smaller herds into one large bunch. There is 
no telling where the herd will be on the range. As a consequence the 
Indian starts out toward the high butte near which they are most fre- 
quently found. When a herd is sighted the guide will ride toward it 
until he can determine whether they are buffaloes or some other animals. 
In the latter case he takes another direction until another herd is sighted. 
It not infrequently happens that one travels for hours before seeing the 
