THE ELK-YARD. 397 



and the water, mixing with the snow beneath, causes it to 

 sink away from the icy surface, leaving a considerable space 

 between them. The * crust,' as the frozen surface is technically 

 named, is quite strong enough to bear the weight of compara- 

 tively small animals, such as wolves, especially when they rur 

 swiftly over it; but it yields to the enormous weight of the Elk, 

 which plunges to its belly at every step. 



The wolves have now the Elk at an advantage. They can 

 overtake it without the least difficulty; and if they can bring it 

 to bay in the snow, its fate is sealed. They care little for the 

 branching horns, but leap boldly at the throat of the hampered 

 animal, whose terrible fore-feet are now powerless, and, by dint 

 of numbers, soon worry it to death. Man, too, takes advantage 

 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 

 habitation 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 

 victims 



