St. Paul daily globe., 1896-02-09


however, the Smithsonian institution
has no. record, and such as exist are
probably half-breeds The only pure
buffaloes outside Of the above are
those of the Yellowstone park which,
| two years ago. numbered about 200
head, and which are now reduced to
fifty. Mr.. Langley has just received
letters stating that ten Of these ami
mails have been killed within the past
four months, and that the others are
in danger. The chances are that they
will last only a short time, and con-
gress has been notified that if some
thing is not done at once this won
derful animal will disappear from the
| face of the earth. There are no other
buffaloes on the earth but these. The
small herds Of the East cannot be made
to perpetuate the buffalo without in
breeding, which will deteriorate the
species, and its only salvation is the
bringing Of these from the Yellow
stone park to some point where they
can be carefully watched and cared
for.
1t is Mr.. Langley's idea that they
should be brought to Washington and
put in the National Geological park
here. The main purpose Of purchasing
this park was for the protection Of
such things as the buffalo and other
American animals liable to become ex-
tinct. It contains plenty Of ground for
good buffalos park, and If these buf-
| faloes can be put in 1t they will serve
as nucleus for the raising Of buff
faloes, which can be supplied to the
different geological gardens of the Unit
ed States and furnished to colonies Of
them over the country, by which the
species can be perpetuated. Prof Goode,
the head Of the national museum, says
that we ought toes have at least 100
buffaloes in order to maintain the
species, and that there should be herds
In different sections of the country,
the animals of which might be inter-
changed to prevent deterioration which
the fnbreeding Of a single colony would
produce.
HABITS OF THE BUFFALO.
One Of the largest buffalaes ever
known was shot by Mr.. Hornaday. It
is now preserved in the national mu-
scum. It Is five feet eight inches high
at the shoulders, and is ten feet two
inches long from nose to tall Many
buffaloes weigh over 900 pounds. The
natural life of the animal is about
twenty-five years. The COWS usually
breed once year, and begin breeding
at the age Of two years. The buffalo
calf at birth Is covered with red hair,
This hair changes after time to
brown, and then black. The hair on
the head Of buffalo is very long.
MANY a woman. in fact. would be-
glad to have as long hair as that Of
one Of the stuffed buffaloes in the ma
tional museum, which measures, am
told, twenty-five inches. The buffalo
COWS weigh less than the bulls a good.
tat one weighing from 1000 to 1900
| pounds. They have small udders. but
their milk is very rich. It requires, in
TACT, the milk Of two cows to satisfy
one buffalo calf. The best time to look
at buffalo is in the fell or winter. In
the summer he is as ragged, ugly and
dirty as any animal ON earth. He
sheds his hairss every year, beginning
! about FebruarN Che hair comes off
a little at time It often hangs in
punches to hissblaek skin, and he will
fight you If you touch it. He is
troubled by the flies at this time, but
he goes to theenearest mud hole and
| rolls in it until he has plastered his
body with mud If the hole is not
| deep enough he will dig it out with