the
direction of Dr. P. V. Hayden. Mainly through Hayden's influence and
foresight Congress withdrew the tract now comprising Yellowstone
National Park from occupancy or sale, and dedicated and set it apart as
a public park or pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the
people. The bill was signed by the president March 1, 1872. In 1872 two
United States geological surveying parties were sent out and detailed
explorations were made during the next ten years.

The park is now under the management of a military commander as acting
superintendent, aided by a detachment of United States troops, who
maintain order, prevent acts of vandalism, and see that the rules and
regulations of the park are obeyed. No one except the troops is allowed
to bring firearms into the park, and the wild animals, now carefully
protected by law, have greatly multiplied. Through subsequent acts of
Congress two forest reserves have been added to the park proper, the
Madison Forest Reserve in 1902 and the Yellowstone Forest Reserve in
1903. These additions make the total area reserved from settlement about
seventeen thousand six hundred square miles.

The only living beings that are permitted to fell as many trees as they
wish are the beavers, which use them in constructing their dams. The
grizzly and the black bear flourish in the park and have become quite
tame. In the neighborhood of the camps and hotels they have become an
intolerable nuisance because of their propensity to break into tents and
buildings in search of food.

The lordly elk nourishes here and numbers of them may be seen at almost
any time of day. A herd of buffaloes is jealously protected, and food
and shelter are provided for them during the winter when necessary.
These animals are increasing in numbers. Many antelope, deer, and
mountain sheep are seen in the park.

The mountain lion and the coyote are two animals that the authorities of
the park feel justified in killing in order to preserve the other game,
but the wild ruggedness of the territory, which affords these pests
ample opportunity to multiply unmolested, prevents their extinction.

During the fall of the year wild geese and ducks frequent the park in
great numbers; some of the latter remain all winter long in places where
the hot springs keep the water of the streams from freezing. The United
States Fish Commission has taken special care in stocking the fishless
streams with trout, and now the Yellowsto