[Illustration: (Inscription) Mr. Theodore Roosevelt. Author of "Hunting
Trips of a Ranchman," With the compliments of The Author, W.T. Hornaday.]

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

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THE EXTERMINATION OF THE AMERICAN BISON.

BY

WILLIAM T. HORNADAY,

_Superintendent of the National Zoological Park._

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From the Report of the National Museum, 1886-'87, pages 369-548, and
plates I-XXII.

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WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1889.

[Illustration: GROUP OF AMERICAN BISONS IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.
Collected and mounted by W. T. Hornaday.]

CONTENTS.

PREFATORY NOTE

PART I.--THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE BISON

I. Discovery of the species
II. Geographical distribution
III. Abundance
IV. Character of the species
1. The buffalo's rank amongst ruminants
2. Change of form in captivity
3. Mounted specimens in museums
4. The calf
5. The yearling
6. The spike bull
7. The adult bull
8. The cow in the third year
9. The adult cow
10. The "Wood" or "Mountain Buffalo"
11. The shedding of the winter pelage
V. Habits of the buffalo
VI. The food of the buffalo
VII. Mental capacity and disposition of the buffalo
VIII. Value to mankind
IX. Economic value of the bison to Western
cattle-growers
1. The bison in captivity and domestication
2. Need of an improvement in range cattle
3. Character of the buffalo-domestic hybrid
4. The bison as a beast of burden
5. List of bison herds and individuals
in captivity

PART II.--THE EXTERMINATION

I. Causes of the extermination
II. Methods of slaughter
1. The "still hunt"
2. The chase on horseback
3. Impounding
4. The surround
5. Decoying and driving
6. Hunting on snow-shoes
III. Progress of the extermination
A. The period of desultory destruction
B. The period of systematic slaughter
1. The Red River half-breeds
2. The country of the Sioux
3. Western railways, and their part
in the extermination of the buffalo
4. The division of the universal herd
5. The destruction of the southern herd
6. Statis