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. 1t contains plenty Of ground for
a good buffalo 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 to- 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 inbreeding Of a single colony would
produce
HABITS OF THE BUFFALO.
One of the largest buffalaes ever
known was shot by Mr.. Hornaday. II
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 tail. Many
buffaloes weigh over 1600 pounds. The
natural life of the animal is about
twenty-five years. The COWS usually
breed once a year, and begin breeding
at the age of two years. The buffalo
calf at birth is covered with red hair
This hair changes after a time tc
brown, and then black. The hair or
the head Of buffalo is very long
Many a woman. in. fact. would bt
glad to have as long hair as that o
one of the stuffed buffaloes int the ma
tional museum, which measures. I an
told, twenty-five inches. The buffal'
, cows weigh less than the bulls, a good
fat one weighing from 1000 to 1,20
! pounds. They have small udders, bu
their milk is very rich. 1t requires, il
{ fact, the milk Of two cows to satisf
} one buffalo calf. The best time to loci
at buffalo is in the fell or winter. L
: the summer he is as ragged, ugly an
dirty as any animal on earth. H
sheds his hair every year, beginnin
about February The hair comes OF
/ a little at time. s. 1t often hangs i
, punches to hissblaek skin, and he wi
r fight you if you touch it. He i
troubled by the flies at this time, bu
I I he goes to theenearest mud hole an
. rolls in it until he has plastered hi
n body with mud. If the hole is nc
deep enough he will dig it out Wit