Evening star., 1896-02-08

delphia. Austin Corbin. the New York
millionaire. has several, and it may be that
there are some small scattering herds in
different parts of the west. Of these,
however, the Smithsonian Institution has
no record, and such as exist are probably
half-breeds. The only pure buffaloes out
side of the above are those of the Yellow
stone Park, which two years ago numbered
about 200 head, and which are now reduced
to fifty. Mr. Langley has just received let
tiers stating that ten of these animals have
been killed within the past four months
and that the others are in danger. The
chances are that they will last only short
time, and Congress has been notified that
IL something 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 cast cannot be made to perpetuate
the buffalo without inbreeding, which will
uetertorate the species, and its only saliva
tion Is the bringing of these from the Yel-
loWstone Park to some point where they
can be carefully watched and cared for
IL 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
OF other American animals liable to become
extinct. 1t contains plenty of ground for
good buffalo park, and if these buffaloes
can be put in it they will serve as
nucleus for the raising of buffaloes, which
can be supplied to the different geological
gardens of the United States and furnished
TO colonies of them over the country by
winch the species can be perpetuated. Prof
Goode. the head of the National Museum
says that We ought to have at least 100
buHaioeS in order to maintain the spe-
cies, and that there should be herds in
different sections of the country. the ami
mails of which might be interchanged to
prevent detHriOra " he in
breeding Of single colony would produce.
Habits of the Buffalo.
One of the largest buffaloes ever known
was shot by Mr.. Hornaday 1t is now pre-
served in the National Museum. 1t is five
feet eight inches high at the shoulders, and
IS ten feet two inches long from nose to tail.
Many bdlraloes weigh over sixteen hundred
pounds The natural life of the animal is
about twenty-five years. The COWS usually
breed once year and begin breeding at
tne age OF two years. The buffalo calf at
flrth IS covered with red hair. This hair
changes after time to brown and then
black. The hair on the head of Il buffalo is
very long Many a woman, in fact would
be glad to have as long hair as that of one of
the stuffed buffaloe5 in the National Muse
UNI which measures, / am told, twenty-five
inches The buffalo COWS weigh less than
the bulls, a good, fat one weighing from
a thousand to twelve hundred pounds
1hey have small udderS, but their milk is
very II requires, IN t2ct, the milk of
two cows to satisfy one buffalo calf. The
best time to look at buffalo is IN the fall
or winter. In the summer he is as ragged
ugly and dirty as any animal on earth He
sheds his Eair every year, beginning about
February. The lair comes off a little at a
time. 1t often hangs in punches to his black
skin. and he will fight you if YOU touch it,
He is troubled by the flies 1T this time
but he goes off to the nearest mudhole and
rolls in it until he has plastered his body
with mud If the hole is not deep enough
he VIII dig 1T out with his horns and head
and Will then get in and roll over until his
entire skin is coated. He carries such coats
OF mud throughout the summer, and about
the first of October he comes ont with a fail
suit Of beautiful black hair, which thickens
IS winter approaches, and which affords
Inn wonderful protection from the cold
What Il Buffalo is Worth.
The value of buffaloes has been increas-
ing more rapidly than anything in this
country. Town lots in Chicago are nothing
to them About ten years ago they were a
drug in the market. Thousands of them
were killed for their tongues, but a good
buffalo is now worth at least $500 when
dead. Its skin is worth from 500 and up
ward, according to quality, and the head