The record-union., 1893-12-22
ONLY A FEW OF THEM LEFT.
Wood Buffalo and Musk Oxen of Cam
ada Nearly EXterminated.

ada Nearly EXterminated.
Mr.. Ogilvie. the Canadian explorer, has
recently been travelling in the hauntS OF
the wood buffalo of Canada. This buffalo
is now found in small herds, the last
remnants of the enormous numbers that
once roamed over the country north and
west OF the Athabasca River in the Peace
and Lizard River basins. Half century
ago, according to the New Y York SIN, it
was no uncommon thing for few In
dians on the Peace River to go out and in
few days procure sufficient buffalo to
support their people with meat for the
winter. In many Years, however, no un-
due slaughter OF The animals has occurred.
Mr.. Ogilvie says that the cause OF their
rapid decrease III number is that
one winter, about twenty-five years
ago, heavy fall OF rain occurred,
which completely saturated the
snow. Then came cold spell, and the
snow was converted into an immense
cake of ice and the buffalos were nearly
eXterminated. The scarcity of the ami
mails and the difficulty of getting near
| them does not deter white men from go
ing into the region TO hunt them. MIR.
Ogilvie says he sees no reason for hunt
ing the wood buffalo except the sport it
affords, as the paucity of their numbers
and the difficulty OF getting the skins out
OF the country preclude all idea Of profit.
lie describes the animal as larger than
the plains buffalo and darker in color.
The difference in size may be accounted
for by the difference in the quality of
/ food peculiar to each, and the difference
in color by the shelter from the bleaching
action OF the sun on the hair afforded by
the woods.
The musk OK is also hunted in the
country north of that in which the wood
buffalo ranges. With the means Of travel
now available, IL is little more than
pleasure trip to reach the home in British
America OF this arctic animal. 1t roams
over what Is commonly known as the
Barren Lands, the treelesS plain laying
east OF the fringe Of woods along the Ma
ZenZie River, north Of the Great Slave
! Lake. Mr.. OgilVie was told that musk
oxen had recently been found southeast
of Lake Athabasca. They are frequently
found within forty or fifty miles of the
Mackenzie River, north of the Arctic
Ocean. A white man recently entered
their grazing grounds simply to see the
region they lnhabit and secure few head
as trophies. lie was accompanied by
| large number Of Indians, who insisted on
going with him to take care OF him should
he be attacked by Eskimos. Instead of
/ helping him they proved to be nuisance
and had to be provided with
/ food. The party slaughtered sixty
lIlliSh OACA anu eighty OF HIuGLy
cariboo. Only a few musk OK heads were
brought back. The noise which this trip
made has induced others to think of
striking for this region in quest Of the
animals for the sake Of their skins and
Ogilvie says it is only question of time
when these musk oxen will be hunted
extensively. He thinks the Government
should impose close season to prevent
their determination. The Northwest
Council, which governs the Northwest
Territory of Canada, has already an
ordinance in force prohibiting the killing
of wood buffalo. A British scientific So
ciety has recently offered a considerable
sum for one musk OK or herd of several
oxen, to be delivered alive at the zooIogi-
cal gardens in London. If any body wants
this money the probabilities are that the
musk OK will come from part of British
North America in which the animals are
now found, as it will probably be lar easier
to secure the animals and take them to the
sea from this region than from any part
of the arctic countries where they are
found,