ON THE MAMMALIA OF THIS DISTRICT. 185 



case, and ascending the gentle slope before me, she 

 had crossed the swamp behind us and chose the 

 most precipitous part of the mountain for her 

 ascent. But what mattered this to such an animal ? 

 It proved, however, how keen must have been her 

 sense of hearing ; for the drivers were at least a 

 mile distant, and yet she had heard them and left 

 her lair, in company with an old bull which crossed 

 the gully some hundred yards higher up. I had 

 nothing but a single smooth-bore, loaded with an 

 ounce ball ; and, as the distance was too far for a 

 certain shot, I would not fire, for there was a 

 chance of her coming nearer, and it was even on 

 the cards that there might be more behind her. 

 I therefore kept my gun down and stood motion- 

 less, watching the movements of one of our finest 

 forest game in the freedom of its native home ; and 

 this alone was worth a trifle. Although the elk 

 is a fine animal, there is something very ungainly 

 and repulsive in its appearance, and nothing of 

 that graceful airy bearing which characterises the 

 red deer. The large head, thick overhanging 

 upper lip, small pig eye, immense ears, and 

 bearded throat, give this animal a singular and 

 ferocious appearance ; and certainly a bull elk is 

 an awkward customer when brought to bay. The 

 movements of this cow were conducted in a very 

 leisurely manner; she would walk a few yards, 



