ON THE PRAIK 161 



wild rocky glens and among the lonely 

 woods of towering pines that cover the 

 great western mountain chains. 



The elk has other foes besides man. The 

 grizzly will always make a meal of one if 

 he gets a chance ; and against his ponderous 

 weight and savage prowess hoofs and ant- 

 lers avail but little. Still he is too clumsy 

 and easily avoided ever to do very much 

 damage in the herds. Cougars, where they 

 exist, work more havoc. A bull elk in 

 rutting season, if on his guard, would with 

 ease beat off a cougar ; but the sly, cunning 

 cat takes its quarry unawares, and once the 

 cruel fangs are fastened in the game's 

 throat or neck, no plunging or struggling 

 can shake it off. The gray timber wolves 

 also join in twos and threes to hunt down 

 and hamstring the elk. if other game is 

 scarce. But these great deer can hold their 

 own and make head against all their brute 

 foes; it is only when pitted against Man 

 the Destroyer, that they succumb in the 

 struggle for life. 



