MAMMALS OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 371 



the range between Swan lake flat and the 

 Madison basin, and a considerable number 

 in that portion of the forest reserve East of 

 the park. It is difficult to make an estimate 

 of the total number in the Park, oecause of 

 the inaccessibility of their range, but I am 

 confident of more than 100, and believe 

 there are 200 in the Park." Lieut. Lindsley. 



26. Buffalo {Bison bison Linn.). The herd 

 that numbered 300 or 400 some years ago 

 has now dwindled to 20 or 30. It seems al- 

 most certain that they are less than 30 now 

 and that they are doomed to extinction; 

 for in addition to heavy snowfalls, un- 

 principled gunners and scarce food, they 

 are now confronted by a deadly foe in the 

 form of constitutional weakness from in- 

 breeding. " I have a letter saying a herd of 

 about 30 have recently been seen. I doubt 

 if 50 is an excessive estimate." G. S. A. 



" But very few buffalo have been re- 

 ported this season. The scouts, however, 

 seldom see much sign in the summer, and 

 now the few remaining buffalo are scat- 

 tered and range in the most remote and 

 inaccessible parts of the park in summer. 

 I am confident of finding 25 this winter, 

 when the snowshoe season sets in, and 

 hope there are nearly double this number in 

 the park. Since Idaho has forbidden the 

 killing of buffalo — as has Montana and 

 Wyoming — I have strong hopes of being 

 able to protect them from further slaughter 

 by poachers. Whetner they will still 

 decrease, on account of natural causes, only 

 time can tell. A strong effort is being 

 made to protect them and to save the rem- 

 nant, if possible." Lieut. Lindsley. 



2.7. Mountain Lion (Felis hippolestes Mer- 

 riam). Very rare. Mr. Haines, the pho- 

 tographer, saw one 3 or 4 years ago, but 

 even its track is rarely seen. " Not so rare 

 as you state. Tracks are very frequent, but 

 as you know it is a shy animal ond not 

 easily seen." G. S. A. 



28. Common Lynx {Lynx canadensis 

 Linn.). Somewhat common in the woods. 

 " Quite common." G. S. A. 



29. Wild-cat. Bobcat {Lynx bailey: Mer- 

 riam). Rare in the Park. " They are there 

 but I never saw one." G. S. A. 



30. Big-tail Fox Vuipes macrourus 

 Baird). Abundant in the Park. As many 

 as a dozen may be sighted at once, about 

 the Canon Hotel, in winter. " Have seen 

 them by the hundred. Silver, gray and 

 red ones." G. S. A. 



31. Great Montana Timber-wolf {Canis 

 nubilis Say). Extremely rare. I could not 

 hear of one having been seen since 1894, 

 and only 2 reported for several years back. 

 " I doubt if there is a real wolf in the Park. 

 I know their voices well and have spent 

 many nights in the Park woods and plains, 

 and never heard one of them. G. S. A. 



32. Coyote {Canis latrans Say.). Abun- 

 dant in the prairie parts of the Park, es- 

 pecially along the Yellowstone up to the 

 forks above Yancey's, but not at all on the 



South or wooded region. " The coyote is 

 numerous all over the Park. I have seen 

 them in every part of it." G. S. A. 



" Coyotes are very numerous in certain 

 sections. They do some damage to the 

 water fowl and kill some of the young elk, 

 but the antelope is the greatest sufferer 

 from their depredations. If a large number 

 of coyotes could be gotten rid of, it would; 

 doubtless be a great benefit to the other 

 game in the Park." Lieut. Lindsley. 



33. Otter {Lutra hudsonica Lacepede). 

 Common throughout the Park along the 

 large streams of the lakes. " I never saw 

 but one otter, but plenty of signs." G. S. A. 



" Otter are fairly abundant and have in- 

 creased since the barren streams have been 

 stocked with fish." Lieut. Lindsley. 



34. Mink {Lutreola vision Schreber). 

 Common throughout the Park. " Correct. 

 I never saw but one, but plenty of signs." 

 G. S. A. 



" Quite plenty." Lieut. Lindsley. 



35. Longtailed weasel {Putorius longicau- 

 da Bonaparte). A weasel that I suppose ta 

 be this is said to be found in the Park. 



36. Marten {Mustela americana Turton), 

 Common in the Park region. Have seen 

 plenty of them." G. S. A. 



37. Fisher {Mustela pennanti Erxleben). I 

 did not ! ear of any in the park, but un- 

 doubtedly it occurs. " I know they are 

 there as I have taken the skin from poach- 

 ers. Never saw a live one " G. S. A. 



38. Skunk {Mephitis hudsonica Rich.). 

 Abundant everywhere in the Park and not 

 essentially different in habits from its 

 species elsewhere. 



39. Badger {Taxidea americana Bod- 

 daert). Abundant in all open or prairie 

 regions but never in the woods. 



40. Wolverine {Gulo luscus Linn.). Wol- 

 verine said to be common in the heavy 

 woods. " Wolverine, while not plentiful, 

 are distributed over a large part of the park, 

 though they are seldom seen by tourists." 

 Lieut. Lindsley. 



41. Raccoon {Procyon lotor Linn.). Said 

 to be common. I saw but one and that was 

 in captivity. 



42. Grizzly Bear or Silver-tip {Ursus hor- 

 ribilis Ord.). Common in the Park. Both 

 the Grizzly and Cinnamon forms are found, 

 the former being commonly called the Sil- 

 ver-tip. " Correct. I sent 4 or 5 of them 

 to Washington while I was at the Park." 

 G. S. A. 



43. Black bear {Ursus americanus Pallas). 

 Abundant in the Park. At the Fountain 

 Hotel I had 9 in sight at one time. At the 

 same time there were also 2 grizzlies in 

 view and 2 more black bears in the near 

 woods. Both black and brown forms of 

 this bear were in the " bunch " — and the 

 amount of tan on the muzzle varied from 

 covering the whole muzzle before the eyes, 

 to none at all. " Correct, very numerous 

 and tame." G. S. A. 



