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_22_ of pinyon pine - juniper communities to extend grazing land is a common • practice but it is not known if any chaining has been done in the study 0 area. A second modifying factor is the succession ~f climatic changes described in a previous section. The cooler and wetter periods connected with glaciations would have essentially lowered the life zones, creating a more extensive pinyon pine community, more extensive grasslands in the basins, and possibly some coniferous forest at higher elevations. An im- portant consequent effect would have been an increase in the number of big game, particularly bison, which were an important food source for the early big game hunters inhabiting North America as early as 12,000 years ago. Because of the tenuous nature of the data pertaining to climatic and vegetative modifications, it will be assumed that the same plant resources were available to the prehistoric inhabitants as exist today, albeit in different proportions. The pinyon pine on Iles and Duffy Mountains would have been one of the more important foods available. The importance of the pinyon nut is well documented for aboriginal cultures throughout the western and southwestern United States and it is still gathered by some Indian groups today (Harrington 1967:323-4). Serviceberries and chokecherries were extensively utilized by Indian cultures to flavor stews and as an in- gredient of pemmican (Harrington 1967:229-232). The acorn of the Gambel's Oak. is another important plant food and was widely utilized although some processing is usually necessary to leach out the tannin that occurs in the nut (Harrington 1967:329-332). Pinyon nuts and acorns can be stored for periods of up to a year and would have been an important food source when other resources were not available. Sego lilies (Calochortus gunnisonii) were observed flowering in sagebrush communities in most parts of the study area during late June and early July and are another potential food source, although not as important as those described above. Other types of plants and plant materials would have been used as food and medicines and as raw materials for. the manufacture of various kinds of implements, uses which are too numerous to discuss in greater detail here. 4.2.4 Fauna The fauna of the study area were a potential aboriginal food resource at least as important as plant foods, as well as providing important raw materials in the form of hides,skins, bone, and antler. The big game hunters that are assumed to have first occupied the area would have been