DEER. 



379 



yard with the old and young females." It appears, however, that very old males 

 generally make a yard for themselves, and remain alone throughout the winter. 



The antlers of the adult elk are shed in America during January, and the new 

 pair attain their full development in August. During the time that the antlers 

 have been in the velvet, the male elk has spent most of his time in the marshes 

 and swamps, feeding on the leaves of the yellow water-lily, and frequently protect- 

 ing himself from the attacks of mosquitoes and other insect torments by standing 

 neck-deep in the water. With the complete development of his antlers, he sallies 

 forth from these retreats to commence calling, and to enter upon a series of com- 



A MOOSE-YARD. 



bats with his rivals for the possession of the females. These contests appear to be 

 fully as fierce and determined as those of the red deer ; and Mr. Ward records 

 finding in a lake the skulls of two elk, with their antlers inextricably interlocked, 

 which had evidently perished after one of these encounters. The fawns are born 

 in the following May, and are either one or two, or, very exceptionally, three in 

 number. They are of a dark fawn-colour, but, according to Mr. Ward, with a 

 slight dappling. The females, before the birth of the fawns, seek out the most 

 sequestered spots, such as islands in lakes and rivers, and swamps and prairies, 

 which are liable to be overflowed at certain seasons of the year, where they will 

 most likely be free from the attacks of wolves and bears. Some writers aver that 

 at such seasons they likewise endeavour to avoid the males, but this is denied by 



