394 Animal Life 
a well-directed kick of them hind-feet. 
Before taking the photograph on this 
page, 1 had just managed to seek shelter 
behind a large pine tree, after seeing the 
animal running at full speed towards me. 
I succeeded, at a distance of four yards 
from the elk, in getting this photograph. 
; Later I caught sight of a big elk-cow 
oO drinking ont of a hole in the ice of 
vy the lake. 
. It is rather exceptional to see elk 
drinking water in the winter time, since, 
like other animals living in arctic regions, 
they generally eat snow instead of drinking. 
On becoming aware of my presence the 
elk walked very cautiously towards me, as 
though afraid of the ice not being safe, 
while I at the same time advanced towards 
the elk. At last the distance between us 
was only three yards, when I took the 
photograph here ‘reproduced. Frightened 
by the snap of my camera at the moment 
of the picture being taken, the cow 
took to her heels and ran away through 
the snow. 
The capture of live elk is illegal unless 
with special permission from the King 
of Sweden. 
Two years ago King Oscar gave orders 
for two young elk to be caught, as a 
present to the Emperor Franz Josef of 
Austria. Subsequently his Majesty—at the 
instigation of the Danish Crown Prince— 
permitted the Zoological Gardens at 
Copenhagen to procure another young 
animal, 
It is a matter of regret that I was 
unable to procure a photograph of an old 
stag with fully-developed antlers, since at 
the present time much interest attaches 
to these appendages owing to the curious 
differences in form which have been 
recently shown to occur in those of certain 
individuals from the normal type. Those 
of my readers who desire information on 
this point cannot do better than consult 
an article by Dr. E. Lonnberg, of Upsala, 
lately published in the London Zoological 
Society’s ‘‘ Proceedings.” 
PROTECTED BY. THE STATE, 
