ELK. 157 



strength, until, when the embryo horn is a foot in length, 

 the portion near the base is of full size, of tolerably 

 strong compact bone, and surrounded on the outside by 

 a network of innumerable blood vessels, more or less 

 separated from each other by layers of bone. These 

 layers form the corrugations and knobby protuberances 

 which appear on or near the lower portion of the perfect 

 antler. The growing horn is exceedingly tender, and 

 liable to be injured in a thousand ways. 



I have been told that an elk will sometimes bleed to 

 death should a horn be knocked off at certain stages of 

 its growth. During this time, therefore, the buck elk is 

 exceedingly careful of himself, retires to the most solitary 

 spot known to him, as near the snow line as convenient 

 in order to get rid of flies, and spends all the time not 

 necessary to obtain food and water in lying in the high 

 grass or small bushes, which he utilises in keeping the 

 flies off without danger of hurting his horns. 



By about the 10th of August the horns have attained 

 their full growth. The blood vessels gradually dry up, 

 commencing at the tips of the spikes, after which the 

 whole horn, though yet covered with ' velvet,' arrives at 

 its perfect hardness. The ' velvet ' now begins to crack, 

 and evidently to itch in an intolerable way ; for the buck 

 spends most of his time in rubbing his horns against small 

 trees, or weaving them, as it were, up and down in a thick 

 bush. This, in hunters' language, is called ' shaking,' 

 probably because the bush is shaken backwards and for- 

 wards. During this time the buck is very easily killed. 

 He is generally alone. The hunter from a high point 

 surveys the slopes and higher valleys, and sees a bush 

 being shaken violently. He has no need to be more 

 careful than to assure himself that he has the wind right. 

 The buck, sawing his head up and down in the bush, can 

 see nothing, and himself makes too much noise to hear 

 anything, and so falls an easy victim. By about the 1st 

 of September the antlers are entirely clear of velvet, and 



