72 THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 
a geological standpoint, I can, from my own experience, promise 
the enthusiastic student of our earth’s history a view at once so 
complete and so overwhelming as to enchain his whole attention. 
be made a really valuable laboratory and conservatory of science 
at little cost and without detriment to an y of the interests before 
mentioned. E 
Momentous questions are now agitating the scientific world, 
calling for experiment and observation which are daily becoming 
less possible, owing in a great measure to the obliterating infi 
ences of modern civilization. Thus it would almost seem that t 
present difficulties in the way of the solution of many questions, 
bearing upon the process of natural selection, will soén become 
insurmountable if some means are not employed to render more 
practicable the study of animals in a state of nature. 
I have not space to treat this subject as it deserves, but for 
and other reasons, I desire to call attention to what appears to 
one of the most important uses to which the park can be pu 
viz. : the. preservation from extinction of at least the character 
