282 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



distance it is one of the most musical sounds in nature, sounding like some beautiful wind 

 instrument. Nothing makes the heart of a hunter leap and thrill like the challenge of a wapiti 

 bull, as it comes pealing down under the great archways of the mountain pines, through the 

 still, frosty, fall weather; all the more if it be at night, under the full moon, and if there is 

 light snow on the ground." 



Wapiti in North America have suffered much from persecution, and it is now difficult 

 indeed to secure fine heads like those that fell to hunters twenty or thirty years since. Twelve 

 or fifteen years ago, during winter-time, bands of wapiti in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana 

 were to be seen gathered together to the number of thousands ; now a score or two is the rule, 

 where these animals are to be found at all. However, by those who know where to go for their 

 game, and can hold a rifle straight, wapiti are still to be obtained. 



Mr. Selous, in his " Sport and Travel, East and West," thus describes a recent experience: 

 " After a few seconds of agonising suspense a noble-looking monarch of the mountains walked 

 slowly from the shelter of the pine-trees and followed the ladies of his household, who had 

 now halted about fifty yards down the slope, passing in quite open ground not more than sixty 

 or seventy yards below me ; and as the stag followed them, I waited until he came past, though 

 he had been well within shot ever since he came out from among the trees. As he did not 

 know where I was, and probably had not the least idea why the hinds had trotted off, he came 

 along very leisurely, looking magnificent; for although his antlers were but moderate in size, 

 there were no others of larger proportions near to dwarf them, and even a very ordinary 

 wapiti stag, seen at short range in its native wilds, is a glorious sight to look upon. I let 

 him get a little past me, and then put one of Holland's peg-bullets just behind his shoulder, 

 low down. I saw by the convulsive rush forwards that he made that he was struck through 

 the heart, but I did not expect so large an animal to collapse so quickly. He had not gone 

 twenty paces after being hit, when he fell suddenly right on to the prostrate stem of a large 

 tree, which did not, however, stop him, as the impetus of his fall carried him over it, and he 

 then went sliding at a terrific pace down the steep snow-slope below, and disappeared from 

 sight almost immediately." The dead wapiti was ultimately found 500 feet below, with the 

 antlers, strangely enough, scarcely injured, but the body and quarters much bruised by the 



fall. He was " a very pretty 

 fourteen-pointer of moderate 

 size." 



A fight between two 

 wapiti stags is a terrific 

 encounter. " With heads 

 lowered between their fore 

 feet," says Mr. Perry, " the 

 two adversaries walk around, 

 waiting for an opening; and 

 when one is thrown off his 

 guard, the other makes a 

 savage rush ; but his opponent 

 instantly recovers, counters 

 the charge, and as they rush 

 together the antlers strike 

 each other with such terrific 

 force that the report can be 

 heard for a long distance. 

 Slowly retreating, bellowing, 

 grumbling, and grinding their 



AN AXIS HIND teeth in a paroxysm of rage, 



A if edes spotted at all seasons they again circle round. . . . 



, N.B. 



