8 The Mammals of Colorado 
nated in the early eighties hides sold for $1.50 to $3.50. 
What they were worth seventy-five years ago is shown by 
the following letter from John Jacob Astor to the writer's 
grandfather, who was at that time a fur dealer in Boston: 
Office Am. Fur Com'y, 
June 25, 1834. 
Dear Sir 
By accounts rec'd I believe the quantity of Buffalo 
Robes will not be large, the price at St. Louis is 4$. We 
sell them here by quantity at 4J, I hope you will not sell 
for less — 
If you want musrat skins I will thank you to give us an 
opportunity to suply you — as also Beaver 
Respectfully yours, 
John Jacob Astor, 
for Am. Fur Co. 
Mr. M. Bates, 
Boston. 
This letter has been copied verbatim, spelling and all, a 
little punctuation being supplied — Mr. Astor seems to have 
been too busy to bother with that. 
According to Catlin, in his North American Indians, the 
American Fur Company's traders were at that time paying 
the Indians a pint of whiskey for each robe. I believe the 
company made its own whiskey from alcohol and water — 
mostly water. 
The calves were born in spring, usually about April, but 
the season seems to have varied from January to August. 
Within three or four days after birth the calf was able 
to travel, and after that it and its mother lived with the 
herd. 
In Colorado, and the other mountain States also, buffalo 
were found in the mountains as well as on the plains; by the 
hunters these were considered as different from the plains 
