164 THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 
the most valuable and interesting of the denizens of the Rocky 
Mountains, and I cannot believe that we have yet reached the . 
limit of the adaptations of the order Ruminantia to the wants of 
' Tnan.* i 
The interesting case of the suckling of the young by the males 
of Lepus Bairdii, before mentioned, ought not to be overlooked, 
and there are doubtless many discoveries yet to be made of equal 
interest. The order Rodentia is well represented in this section. 
. There are many other points of greater or less importance which 
have occurred to me in connection with the plans of improvement 
which I have to suggest, but I must be content with a passing 
allusion to them. I cannot forbear, however, calling attention to 
one very prominent result to be attained by the setting aside of 
this tract, and the consequent preservation of the timber, as pro- 
_ vided by law. It needs no argument to show the value of the — 
Upper Yellowstone forests as a means of equalizing the distribu- 
tion of the precipitated moisture, which is collected by the various — 
streams radiating from this point. For many years to come, the 
timbered district within and around the park must be the main 
support of the settlements in that region, for without this influ- 
ence irrigation during a considerable portion of the year will be 
impossible. Until artificial forests, so to speak, have been proe 
duced along the lower valleys of the streams, upon the plains, a 
these timbered areas must constitute the very: backbone of Sue 
cessful agriculture. Such being the case, there are few who will 
not welcome the introduction of most stringent measures for the 
protection of the wooded districts. Nor is this all, for there a? 
doubtless, not a few questions of much importance upon We” 
new light will be thrown by the discoveries resulting from sass 
, preservation of new and rare forms of ast in ne Oa 
*In the Report of the Dept. of Agriculture, 1867, p. 218. anonymou «tbe 
a short meee _ a good plate te of Apl ocerus montanus, from which I extract 
lowing :— 
Paw rating“ 
eeek > Its coat is very thick, and is compos osed of two — of ee 
tremely long and somewhat coarse, beneath which is a short, dense ering, Very 
erare and texture as that of the famous goat of Cashmere. Bir A 
= coat of hair is very long, covering the body, tail, and legs. sine az fleece of wie yo 
being most abundant on the shoulder, neck, back, and thig i : 
h ile to i j ise apat and capabilities ‘ 
ts pecuniary wee — searching | g 
ee es yen RAFS e a 
camp, isa fat whieh I ‘atta 8 7 
