THE ELK-YARD. 631 



of this state of the snow, equips himself with snow-shoes, and 

 skims over the slight and brittle crust with perfect security. An 

 Elk, therefore, whenever abroad in the snow, is liable to many 

 dangers, and, in order to avoid them, it makes the curious habita- 

 tion which is called the Elk-yard. 



This winter home is very simple in construction, consisting of 

 a large space of ground on which the snow is trampled down by 

 continually treading it so as to form both a hard surface on which 

 the animal can walk, and a kind of fortress in which it can dwell 

 securely. The whole of the space is not trodden down to one 

 uniform level, but consists of a network of roads or passages 

 through which the animal can pass at ease. So confident is the 

 Elk in the security of the "yard," that it can scarcely ever be 

 induced to leave its snowy fortification and pass into the open 

 ground. 



This habit renders it quite secure from the attacks of wolves, 

 which prowl about the outside of the yard, but dare not venture 

 within ; but, unfortunately for the Elk, the very means which 

 preserve it from one danger only lead it into another. If the 

 hunter can come upon one of these Elk-yards, he is sure of his 

 quarry ; for the animal will seldom leave the precincts of the 

 snowy inclosure, and the rifle-ball soon lays low the helpless vic- 

 tims. 



The Elk is not the only animal that makes these curious forti- 

 fications, for a herd of Wapiti deer will frequently unite in form- 

 ing a common home. 



One of these "yards" has been known to measure between 

 four and five miles in diameter, and to be a perfect network of 

 paths sunk in the snow. So deep, indeed, is the snow when un- 

 trodden, that when the deer traverse the paths, their backs can 

 not be seen above the level of the white surface. Although of 

 such giant size, the "yard" is not by any means a conspicuous 

 object, and at a distance of a quarter of a mile or so, a novice may 

 look directly at the spot without perceiving the numerous paths. 

 This curious fact can easily be understood by those of my readers 

 who have visited one of our modern fortifications, and have seen 

 the slopes of turf apparently unbroken, although filled with deep 

 trenches. 



There are many other animals which form temporary habita- 

 tions in which they can remain concealed, because they are taught 



