In his introduction to Mr. G. A. Young’s descriptive sketch of the geology and economic minerals of Canada (1909) Mr. R. W. Brock, Director of the Geological Survey, wrote:—“Petroleum and natural gas are obtained in Ontario; Alberta is also producing a large quantity of gas, and will probably develop petroleum fields. . . . . The interior plain (of the Canadian northwest) is underlain for the most part by sedimentary rocks, chiefly of Cretaceous age, and containing coal, building stones, clays, and cement materials. Natural gas over wide areas and under great pressure has been tapped, and there is every indication of a large oil field in the northern portion, at least, of Alberta.” CHAPTER XIV. NORTHERN ALBERTA. Game, Fur-bearing Animals and Fish. The Land of the Wood Buffalo.—Where the Last Remnant of American Bison Living in a Wild State Roam.—A Splendid Moose Country.— The Home of Numerous Fur-bearing Animals.—The Prolific Fisheries of Lake Athabaska and Other Waters. As the northernmost portion of northern Alberta includes a considerable part of the range of the herds of wood buffalo (_Bison athabascae_), which are the sole remnant, living in a natural state, of the countless millions of American bison which existed when the northwest was first opened up, it is a country of especial interest to the naturalist and sportsman. It seems to be agreed that the wood buffalo is exactly the same species as the buffalo of the plains, being descended from herds or individuals which drifted into the wooded country to the north for pasturage or protection, and finding conditions congenial remained there. Within the memory of living men the wood buffalo of northern Alberta and beyond were immeasurably more numerous than they are to-day, and they would probably have suffered extermination before this had the Dominion government not stepped in and enacted laws to protect closely the remaining herds. The wood bison formerly ranged over immense areas north to Great Slave lake and Liard river, but it is now restricted to a few small herds inhabiting the region north of Peace river. The bison was first recorded from this region by Samuel Hearne, the first traveller to penetrate its unknown wilds. After crossing Great Slave lake (his Athapapuskow lake) from the north, in January, 1772, he entered the level country to the eastward of Slave river, and there “found buffaloes very plentiful.” He travelled southward for some days and then left Slave river and proceeded to the eastward, still finding the animals abundant until he reached a point near the longitude of the eastern end of Great Slave lake. (Preble.)