144 



NOKTH AMEKICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



Mackenzie's descent of the river which now bears his name, he was in- 

 formed by the Indians that buffaloes abounded on the phains bordering 

 the stream which entered from the north the expansion of the river 

 now known as the Little Lake.'^ On the return journey, his party 

 killed a buffalo near the same place. ^ During his exploration of Peace 

 River he noted numerous herds of buffaloes on the' plains near Ver- 



130 



120 



no 



100 



90 



80 



60 



55 







-s-rn 7 — T— — 





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115 



no 



65 



60 



55 



105 



100 



95 



90 



Fig. 12. — Former distribution of American bison (Bison hison) and its nortliern sub- 

 species {B. 6. athahosca ) in central Canada. A few small herds still exist in the area 

 indicated by cross lines. 



milion Falls ; ^ and he mentions also that the animal was common at 

 the mouth of ' Sinew ' River, a stream entering Peace River from the 

 south a short distance east of the mountains.'^ Harmon, in 1808. 

 found the animals abundant on the plains on either side of Peace 

 River from Vermilion Falls nearly to the Rocky Mountains ; ^ and in 

 1810 saw some on tiie Peace between Forts Dunvegan and St. John.^ 



« Voyages to Frozen and Pacific Oceans, pp. 24, 25, 1801. (This must refer to 

 the stream now known as Horn or Willow River.) 

 ^ Ibid., p. 109, 1801. 

 <^ Ibid., p. 125, 1801. 

 ^ Ibid., p. 163, 1801. 



^ Journal of Voyages and Travels, p. 174, 1820. 

 f Ibid., p. 187, 1820. 



