The Wapiti or Round- horned Elk 161 



shifted, and while I was out of sight of the herd 

 they had also come down toward the spot from 

 whence I had been watching them. Accord- 

 ingly, just as I was beginning to creep forward 

 with the utmost caution, expecting to see them at 

 any moment, I heard a thumping and cracking of 

 branches that showed they were on the run. With 

 wapiti there is always a chance of overtaking 

 them after they have first started, because they 

 tack and veer and halt to look around. Accord- 

 ingly I ran forward as fast as I could through the 

 woods ; but when I came to the edge of the fir 

 belt I saw that the herd were several hundred 

 yards off. They were clustered together and 

 looking back, and saw me at once. 



Off they started again. The old bull, however, 

 had neither seen me nor smelt me, and when I 

 heard his whistle of rage I knew he had mis- 

 interpreted the reason for the departure of 

 his cows, and in another moment he came in 

 sight, evidently bent on rounding them up. 

 On his way he attacked and drove off one of 

 the yearlings, and then took after the cows, 

 while the yearling ran toward the outlying bull. 

 The latter evidently failed to understand what 

 had happened ; at least he showed no signs of 

 alarm. Neither, however, did he attempt to 

 follow the fleeing herd, but started off again on 

 his own line. 



