Omaha daily bee., 1888-01-06
AN EXPEDITIONS FAILURE.
They Searched in Vain For the
Buffalo,

buHalO.
The car load of specimens secured by
the expedition sent to Montana last Oc-
tober from the American Museum of
Natural History is daily expected to ar
rive in this city, says the New York
Times. 1t contains number of valu-
able additions to the Central park col
lections, and the trip may be considered
a success, although no buffaloes were Sc
cured. The primary object of sending
party west was to secureSa number Of
butfaloes for herd group at the museum,
and the entire expense Of the expedition
was borne by Mr.. Jcsuy, the president
of the Museum association, and Mr.. Con-
stable, vice president.
A full account of the expedition was
secured yesterday from Mr.. Jenessee
Richardson, ,taxidermist at the museum,
who, with d. G.. Eliot, two guides, u
teamster and cook, left Miles City.
Mont, on October 5, for the headwaters
Of the Big and Little Porcupine rivers.
1t was through thisregion and the bad
Lands" 200 miles northwest of Miles
City that the Hornrday expedition went
last year. 1t was surmised that some
remains of the buffalo herds seen by
that party might be found, but in that
the museum party were disappointed.
The bleaching bones of the great ami
NAL were found in hundreds of small
white punches dotting the plains as far
as the eye could reach, and bones
enough for ten complete skeletons were
secured from about one hundred and
fifty carcaSses, but not II live buffalo was
seen. The bones secured are remark
ably good specimens, owing to the dry
climate of the region where they were
found. They are white and well pre-
served. The best will be selected for
Central park; the rest will be sent to
other museums III exchange for speci-
mems of other things. Two skins were
brought back, but they were bought
| from guides and were from butfaloes
| killed last year. 1t was learned that
parties of Crow and Assiniboin Indians
had been through the Bad Lands"
during the summer, and what few buff
| faloes were there were probably killed
| or driven south by the savages.
In securing specimens OF other animals
| the expedition was unexpectedly sue
| cessful. A very large and interesting
| series of antelopes were found at the
head waters of the Big and Little Por-
| cuplue. Great success was met with IN
shooting the epronged-horned "antelopes
of the plain" which is very swift and
difficult to get at. Some time agoit was
discovered that this animal, scientific
ally known as the antilocapra Ameri-
cana. sheds its horns in manner differ
ent from other deer, and intermediate
between the horn-shedding process OF
the solid-horned and hollow horned
ruminants. The specimens of horns OF
all ages and in all stages which are now
on their way to this city show this pro
cess clearly, aud prove that as the old
horn splits at the base and prepares tc
fall off the hair growing up around the
pith of the new horn goes to form the
new horn. Valuable prairie wolves
were killed, varying in color from brick
red to one so gray that the COWBOY guides
took it for gray wolf. Blackbirds, sage
grouse, prairie larks, pintail grouse
hawks, and magpies were shot in large
numbers. Some wildcats, Canadian
lynXes, and red lynxes We're killed, alsC
a small sage rabbit, unlike anything il
the museum, and, probably, something
not heretofore classified. The party alst
got a complete series OF white-foote(
mice.
From the ''bad lands at the head