BNDUCH.] S\VEETWATER DISTRICT GAME. Gl 



pass there on their way soutliward. During tlie time we were there 

 (September 7) the largest baud seen amoiuitetl to about 70 head. Elk 

 (Elaphiis canadensis) occur both on the eastern and western slope of the 

 VVind Eiver Eange. Again, some were seen near Sheep ]\lountain. Gen- 

 erally they ran in bands, numbering, during the sunmier, from 10 to 00 

 animals. Later in the season they collect together, forming large herds. 

 By that time the calves are strong enough to travel with the others. 

 On the Sweetwater, above the Three Crossings, sonje Avere met with. 

 Througliout the Sweetwater Hills, tliey can be found dui-ing the entire 

 year. In fall and winter they are Aery abundant there, as well as at 

 the small groups of lakes ftirther south during the latter st^ason. East 

 of Sweetwater Gap we saw a single herd containing over 400 elk. At 

 that time they had just begun to come south. Hunters state that herds 

 of several thousand can l>e found in this region during the winter. 

 Black-tail deer {Cariacus macrotfs) are found throughout nearly all the 

 mountains and hills. On the western slope of the Yv'ind Eiver Eange 

 they are plentifid. On the northern face of Sweetwater Plateau, and in 

 the hills near Sheep Mountain, they can usually be found in small 

 gulches containing quaking asp ; Ijiug quietly in the shade during the 

 heat of the day, they come out of their shelter morning and evening. 

 Along the Sweetwater and Seminole Hills, wherever these are timbered, 

 black-tail are quite abimdant. White-tail deer [Cariacus virginiamis) 

 are rare in our district, and Avere seen only once, about 8 miles to the 

 southwest of Mount Essex. Sage-brush occurred there of gigantic size, 

 mingling with scattered cedars; and the deer were found in these. 

 Moimtain sheep (Ovis montana) were found at several localities. They 

 were met with on the eastern slope of the Vvind Eiver Eange, above 

 timber-line. At the base of Stambaugh Peak, at timber-line, we struck 

 a band of more than 100 sheei). Some that were there sliot (Jidj- 25) 

 showed an exterior coat of fine, light-gray wool, about half an inch in thick- 

 ness. At that time they were shedding this wool. On Sheep Mountain 

 and in the Granite Hills a few sheep were seen. Antelopes {xhiiilocaj)ra 

 americana) are by far more numerous than any other kind of game. 

 During the season we saAv, x>robably, at a low estimate, 8,000 of them. 

 In June and July they ai-e sliy, and good shots cannot be obtained with- 

 out using considerable precaution. Later in the season they become 

 bolder and congregate in large herds. Bands numbering several hun- 

 di-ed may frequently be seen. The greatest numbers of these animals 

 we found near the lakes of the Shoshone Basin, on both sides of the 

 Sweetwater and Seminole Hills, and on Sweetwater Eiver. In xYugust 

 and September they are easily shot, owing to theii' investigating tm-n of 

 mind, which causes them often to ai)proach a strange object within a 

 sbort distance. 



In the Wind Eiver Eange we found a number of the mountain rjibbits 

 {Leims amcricanns, var. hairdii). This is the prettiest rabbit of the "West, 

 and the best one for culinary purposes. During the summer it is of a 

 dark gra;v'ish-browii color, light, yellow underneath, but in winter tm-ns 

 white. Jack rabbits (Lepus campestris) occur wherever sage-bnish is 

 found. Their long ears and peculiar, jumping run render tliem a very 

 ludicrous sight. Cotton-tail i-abbits [Lepus sylraticus, var. nuftaUi) are 

 very frequent in the blnfis adjoining rivers and streams. Even a long 

 distance from wat^r, however, they may be found. Then* meat has an 

 insii)id taste. 



In the mountains and some of the foot-liills, the blue grouse [Tctrao 

 dbscurus) form an important portion of the game. During the fall their 

 meat is better than that of any other game bird. Lower down, along 



