292 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
The Cuarrman. Tell us the history of that. 
Mr. Merriam. The Miller & Lux cattle concern, one of the largest 
cattle concerns in the West—in California—have a herd of elk on their 
lands in the lower San Joaquin Valley. This elk is a very important 
animal for the reason that its species differ from the elk of the north- 
west coast and the elk of the Rocky Mountains. It is unlike every 
other elk, and all there are of them in the world are on this range in 
the lower San Joaquin Valley. They are in great danger of extermi- 
nation. They were given to the Government by Miller & Lux, pro- 
vided we would take care of them and transport them to some forest 
preserve, and we have undertaken to do this. This has involved aan 
expense, because a thousand dollars will not pay for the fencing that is 
necessary to put up. We had a man in California last summer mak- 
ing a special examination of forest reserves with reference to this, 
apart from the attention I was able to give personally to the same mat- 
ter, and we have selected a locality on the Keweah River, and we have 
aman there now laying out the fence, and we want to fence as much 
as we can with the small amount of money we have. It is sufficient 
for this herd of about 100 elk—about 120, altogether—as nearly as we 
are informed by Miller & Lux. 
Mr. Scorr. How many acres will you have to inclose for the care of 
these elk ? 
Mr. Merriam. I do not know, I can not answer that. 
The Cuarrman. What do you think of the Government going into 
a thing like this; is it not an extraordinary movement on the part of 
the Department? 
Mr. Merriam. It is in line of what has been proposed in the way of 
game preservation; it is in line with what has been done in Yellow- 
stone Park in the care of buffalo. 
The Cuarrman. But we do not fence and take care of any game. 
Mr. Merriam. We are doing that in the Yellowstone Park. 
ime CaarrMan. That isa public park. Let us turn these elk right 
in there. . 
Mr. Merriam. So is this park also a public park, but the land we 
have selected is in the National Sequoia Park, in California, on the 
Keweah River. We do not propose to purchase any land, but to fence 
a part of that, so that they can not get out. 
Mr. Scorr. How far do they have to be transported? 
Mr. Merriam. About 100 miles. 
Mr. Scorr. How are they caught and handled? 
Mr. Merriam. Miller & Lux agree to put up wings, and corral and 
hold them for us; and then we have to take them on a car to a place 
called Exeter, and then carry them in wagons about 30 miles. 
The Cuarrman. In wagons? 
Mr. Merriam. In wagons. We have to crate them and put them 
in wagons, and carry them about 30 miles to the boundary of the 
national park. 
The Cuarrman. What good is going to accrue from it? 
Mr. Merriam. We are going to preserve a species of big game 
from extinction, and which is now destined to speedy extermination. 
They are on a cattle range, with no protection at all except such as 
Miller & Lux give them through their cowboys. 
Mr. Ropry. Where did Miller & Lux get those elk? 
Mr. Merriam. They were always there; they have lived there from 
