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that are at large in the southern part of the range. The wood buffalo are 
said to be in two more or less scattered herds, a northern herd of unmixed 
stock ranging on the Northwest Territories side of the boundary, running 
up towards Great Slave lake, a district that is very difficult of access in 
summer. The southern herd ranges southward towards Slave river in 
Alberta and it is still a mooted question whether it meets the northern 
herd at all. Beginning with 1925, nearly 2,000 surplus young buffalo 
from the Plains stock at Wain wright Buffalo park, Alberta, have been 
transferred to the Wood Buffalo park, so that now between 5,000 and 6,000 
have been established there. There has also been some increase of calves 
from this stock, and the loss has been comparatively small, attributed 
mostly to the depredations of wolves upon the young stock. As only 
young stock was transported, yearlings and two-year-olds, and possibly a 
few three-year-olds, it is evident that, regardless of any admixture of strains, 
any buffalo over five years old in 1927 was from the original primitive 
stock. As the buffalo bulls do not attain the complete development of 
size and horns until about nine years of age, selection of specimens was 
largely a question of picking out aged bulls. 
On September 11 the party travelled with five saddle horses and 
partly on foot, visiting Willow lake, but saw no evidence of buffalo except 
tracks going east. Warden Dempsey made a detour of about 30 miles 
on horseback next day, but saw no recent signs of buffalo. September 13, 
went north to jackpine brfde, thence east and south, and walked several 
miles along edge of Salt plains, getting back to camp after 12 hours of hard 
travel on foot. Many deep buffalo trails and old signs, but few signs within 
two or three days old. 
On September 15 the three remaining packhorses were saddled and 
the party started for the Big Poplar country, which Sousa considered the 
best buffalo range. Water was scarce everywhere on account of prolonged 
dry season and extensive bush fires to the northward during the summer 
and fires in part of the park have evidently sent the buffalo moving south- 
ward. 
Three species of grouse are found in the park, and a few were seen now 
and then- — the ruffed grouse in poplar and birch woods, spruce partridge 
in spruce thickets, and sharp-tailed grouse on the open, grassy plains with 
scattering willow clumps. The ruffed grouse and spruce partridge, which 
were feeding at this time almost entirely on vegetable matter, leaves, and 
berries, show r ed no signs of parasitic infestation or disease, but Dr. Hadwen 
took a considerable number of small tape-worms from intestines of sharp- 
tailed grouse which were feeding largely on grasshoppers. The birds in all 
cases, however, appeared to be healthy. 
On September 16 a large buffalo bull was seen to cross the road and 
followed tracks for about half a mile, 3 or 4 miles from Salt River corduroy 
bridge. On September 22 we started seven or eight buffalo south of Pine 
lake. They were very wild and difficult to stalk in the brush, but finally 
on a jackpine ridge where the trees were more open, picked the largest bull, 
on the assurance of the guides that it was a large wood buffalo. It turned 
out to be only of medium size, not more than five years old. The skin, 
skull, and leg-bones were preserved for specimens and the meat cached. 
Dr. Hadwen made a thorough examination of all the organs of the animal, 
including blood-slides. Except for some small internal parasites, the 
animal appeared to be in a healthy state. It measured: length from nose 
