RICH PASTURAGE AND CONTENTMENT 



of pasturage. Herd after herd have 

 been seen stretching over a distance of 

 nearly a hundred miles, all moving in 

 the same general direction. Early in 

 the spring months they were found 

 South of the Canadian river as far as 

 the Red, because in that region the 

 winters are short and the grass ap- 

 pears early. The herds followed the 

 pasturage as it appeared, toward the 

 North, moving across the Cimmeron, 

 the Arkansas, the Smoky Hill, the Re- 

 publican and beyond the Platte. 



The buffalo displayed an instinctive 

 sense of organization and discipline 

 wonderful and amazing in animals. 

 Like vast armies the herd was subdi- 

 vided into what resembles corps, divis- 

 ions, brigades, regiments and even 

 companies, each having its commander 

 or leader.* Distances were observed 



*Buffalo Jones and other authorities state that 

 these small bunches are family groups and that the 

 immediate relatives always herd together. 



and maintained when the great mass 

 was moving. Each subdivision pre- 

 served its relative position to the others, 

 and, in case of sudden fright, moved in 

 a compact mass. Each herd had its vi- 

 dettes and these wary watchers gave 

 the alarm of approaching danger. In 

 approaching a herd, groups of four 

 or five were first seen. When alarmed 

 they galloped to the herd. The cause 

 of alarm having been ascertained, the 

 herd leader in advance, followed by the 

 cows and calves, was off at full speed, 

 the young bulls acting as rear guard 

 and flankers. The cows and calves 

 were always found in the center of the 

 herd,' as a measure of safety. The 

 calves were thus protected from wolves 

 and other natural enemies. 



In the evening the herd set out for 

 water. When moving for this purpose 

 buffaloes were always seen in single 

 file, following their leaders, traveling 

 at a sort of ambling gait. Buffalo 



