Vol. V] EVERMANN— DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR 1914 13 



private reservations, parks, and ranches in the state, also to 

 the park commissioners and the Lodges of Elks in all the 

 cities of the state, for the purpose of learning whether they 

 wished any of the elk for the reservations or parks under their 

 control. 



It was explained to them that these elk were in great danger 

 of extermination; that Messrs. Miller and Lux were desirous 

 of doing anything in their power to save the species ; that the 

 Academy of Sciences is cooperating with Miller and Lux with 

 that object in view ; that it is desired to place the elk only 

 in such places as will afford a favorable environment in which 

 the animals will breed and thrive; and that the only expense 

 to those wishing any of the elk would be the freight charges 

 and other expenses incident to shipment, and $3 dollars per 

 head to meet the expense of clerical work. 



The response was immediate. Approval of the proposition 

 was universal. Applications for elk were received from many 

 parts of the state. In order that the elk might be placed only 

 in favorable locations the Director through the courtesy of 

 the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe railroads, was able to visit 

 and personally inspect more than twenty of the proposed 

 reservations and parks, and only those thought to furnish a 

 suitable environment were selected to receive shipments. 



Early in October, Messrs. Miller and Lux began prepara- 

 tions for capturing the elk. The plan involved the construc- 

 tion of a corral a quarter of a mile long and half as wide in 

 a large alfalfa field to which it was observed the elk came 

 regularly every night to feed. The corral was built of heavy 

 timbers 12 feet high upon which was placed heavy woven 

 fence-wire nine feet high. A wing one-fourth mile long was 

 run out from each side at the corral entrance. The wire was 

 placed on the wings at once but not on the corral proper until 

 the elk had visited the field several nights and had become 

 quite used to the posts, which they did very promptly. Then 

 the wire was put in place everywhere except at the entrance, 

 and on the night following, after about 150 elk had entered 

 the corral, the wire was put in place across the entrance and 

 the elk were trapped. The next day they were quite restless 

 and about 90 of them broke out. About 60 remained and in 

 a few days became so tame that it was safe to undertake their 



