256 THROUGH CANADA 



Below the spot where the bull has repeated his 

 challenge, the cows are moving among grassy plateaux 

 in apparent indifference to the impending issue of 

 which they are the innocent cause. 



In the summer the cows calve, making their off- 

 spring objects of most solicitous care. They hide 

 them in the thick grass, where their dappled coats 

 might be easily mistaken for the light and shade that 

 play amongst the herbage. Danger near, they lie 

 still as death, the mother never far off and at the 

 first cry for help ready to defend them with her life. 

 : Sometimes nothing but the echo answers the 

 challenger, at others his rival responds and emerges 

 from some part of the hillside hard by to give battle 

 and silence for ever the upstart. If it happens to be 

 an older and bigger bull, the task is not difficult, and 

 at the first onset the challenger, deeming discretion 

 the better part of valour, retreats. If he has time he 

 attempts to drive the cows before him, rudely butting 

 them with his horns. When it comes to Greek 

 meeting Greek, the conflict is often quickly decided, 

 and the vanquisher takes charge of the herd. It is 

 not an uncommon occurrence for the antlers of the 

 combatants to become so firmly locked together that 

 both animals perish,, after repeated efforts to extricate 

 their horns. 



Wapiti are by no means as plentiful in Canada 

 as they used to be. Very few are met with east 

 of Manitoba, although they were plentiful there 



