The Wapiti or Round-homed Elk 137 



most secluded situation, often going very high up 

 on the mountains. Occasionally a couple of 

 bulls lie together, moving around as little as pos- 

 sible. The cow at this time realizes that her 

 calf's chance of life depends upon her absolute 

 seclusion, and avoids all observation. 



As the horns begin to harden the bulls thrash 

 the velvet off against quaking asp, or ash, or even 

 young spruce, splintering and battering the bushes 

 and small trees. The cows and calves begin to 

 assemble ; the bulls seek them. But the bulls do 

 not run the cows as among the smaller deer the 

 bucks run the does. The time of the beginning 

 of the rut varies in different places, but it usu- 

 ally takes place in September, about a month 

 earlier than that of the deer in the same lo- 

 cality. The necks of the bulls swell and they 

 challenge incessantly, for unlike the smaller deer 

 they are very noisy. Their love and war calls, 

 when heard at a little distance, amid the moun- 

 tains, have a most musical sound. Frontiersmen 

 usually speak of their call as " whistling," which 

 is not a very appropriate term. The call may be 

 given in a treble or in a bass, but usually consists 

 of two or three bars, first rising and then falling, 

 followed by a succession of grunts. The grunts 

 can only be heard when close up. There can be 

 no grander or more attractive chorus than the 

 challenging of a number of wapiti bulls when two 



