THE BUFFALO IN AMERICA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2748, 13 January 1882, Page 2

THE BUFFALO IN AMERICA.

The march of civilisation bids .fair'to' improve the red man and the buffalo,his principal means of support, simultaneously off the face of the earth, or at least off that part of it which lies within, .the boundaries of the United States. The tour of the Marquis of Lome has afforded the N.orth American Indians dwelling on British territory the opportunity of bringing prominently; before the Governor-iGenoral the various grievances of these; interestingr’people, who, although brimful of loyalty and professing gratitude for the generous treatment they have received at the hands of the: Canadian Government, ap ; compared with that experienced by their brethren in the States, have still certain grounds for complaint. One of these is the scarcity of buffaloes. It is to be hoped that some steps will be taken to preserve these valuable animals in Canada from the fate which is rapidly overtaking them in the United 'States. The principal resort of these animals in the the States is the Yellowstone country, Montana, where last winter, owing to the severity of the weather arid thescarcity of food,, they "bunched” them-, selves in the few. valleys in which pasturage could be found, and were shot down- by the so called " hunters " by thousands at a time. It is. estimated that in this one district alone over 100,000 buffaloes were slaughtered; and, as the average number of hides col-’ lected daring the last few years - - has been under one-fourth of the total of last winter, the stock must have "been reduced to the smallest possible proper tioas. There is,a close time for wapiti iu the maritime provinces .of Canada, and it is high time that there should be some legislative ‘ enactmerit to' preserve the noblest animal of the' prairies of the West. Whether regarded: frdin the pointrof view of tbe.Red Indian, to.whom they are both food and raiment, or of the manufacturer, to "Whom * they; supply a valuable bide, or of the hunter,in whose eyes they are among the- noblest.game: in the world, these magnificent creatures; demand that some means should be adopted to save them from, otter extermination.—" Colonies and India.’*, . >