288 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 
stimulated, no doubt, during the rutting season, and was as 
wicked as he need be towards the younger bucks; nor did I con- 
sider it safe for a stranger to go into the park, but my own men 
went through it at all times in security. One fall, I sent my 
teams in to haul stone from the Elk Park during the rutting sea- 
son. It was manifest he did not like it, but he made no attack 
upon them, though he would frequently place himself in the road 
and face them, but would allow them to quietly turn out and 
drive around him. Of course, they were prepared for emergen- 
cies, and were ordered to diminish the number by one if he of- 
fered to attack. The other bucks — and there were at least a 
dozen about as large as he was — never showed the least vicious- 
ness at any season, and so it was with the second one during the 
reign of the first as above described, and yet as soon as he suc- 
ceeded to the rule his whole disposition seemed changed at once, 
and he immediately became as bad as the other. As we shall 
hereafter see, this was the last of my very vicious Elk. 
I think that the very wicked bucks are exceptional, probably, 
as much so as vicious bulls among our common stock. We all 
know that occasionally a bull is met with which will attack any 
person on sight, still they are generally docile. Perhaps with 
some limitations, I think the same law governs the Elk, and that 
we shall rarely find specimens as vicious as those described. The 
first and finest male Elk I ever had was brought up by hand, 
was well halter broken, had been constantly handled, and yet he 
was not vicious in disposition, although he would often make 
demonstrations towards strangers during the rut. While they 
seem to have no individual attachments, and no affection for each 
other, and are very selfish, they are still social in their nature, 
and so are gregarious in their habits. It is rare to find a soli- 
tary individual, and then I think it is the result of accident rather 
than choice. They are easily alarmed, and when one shows 
signs of fear it instantly communicates itself to the whole band. 
The first to take alarm is most likely a buck. If they see the 
keeper coming towards them, and a single one fails to recognize 
him, and dashes away on that long trot, and with a high head 
indicating alarm, the chances are that all will take fright and 
dash away into the woods, or onto the next side-hill, and there 
stop and turn around to see what frightened them. A few calls 
and his well known voice is recognized, when they will come 
towards him. Since the band has got large and they have been 
more confined to the secluded East Park, those does which were 
