86 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



Among- the important species of California animals now threatened 

 with extinction is the California valley elk (Cervus nan nodes). This 

 elk originally rt)ame{l in great numbers over the great interior valley of 

 ('alifornia. It was don})tless most abundant in the San Joaqnin por- 

 tion of the Saeramento-San Joaqnin Valley, but its range probably 

 included the entire valley and the adjacent foothills. It was certainly 

 abundant as late as 1854. The early records contain many references 

 to its abundance. One of the earliest records is to be found in the 

 manuscript report of the Viscaino explorations made in 1602. Speaking 

 of the animals in the vicinity of Monterey the statement is made: 

 "Among the animals there are large, fierce bears, and other animals 

 called elks, from which they make elk leather jackets." 



Among the most interesting later accounts is that by Mr. Edward 

 Bosqui, the only living charter member of the California Academy of 

 Sciences. In his "Memoirs," to which my attention was called by Mr. 



Fig. 19. — California elk, in curral wi-.w I '.uin.n\\ Uiu ,\ . n.ad.N l( 



by John Rowley. 



Photo 



M. Hall McAllister, Mr. Boscpii states that, in December, 1850, while 

 walking from Stockton to Mariposa, he saw, as he approached the foot- 

 hills, "bands of elk, deer, and antelope in such numbers that they 

 actually darkened the plains for miles, and looked in the distance like 

 great herds of cattle." 



On his return from Mariposa to San Francisco in June, 1851, when 

 on Dry Creek some seventy miles from Mariposa, east of the present 

 town of Turlock, Mr. Bosqui states he was one morning "suddenly 

 awakened by the heavy tramp and noise of large animals, and on 

 looking through the fog which prevailed I could see indistinctly, not 

 thirty rods away, giant-like figures of elk passing, so to speak, in pro- 

 cession before me. They were tossing their great antlers about and 

 snuffing excitedly. Suddenly, with one accord and with an impulse 

 that shook the ground like an earthquake, they swept out of sight. It 

 was a procession of phantoms such as one might conceive in a night- 



