H tinting A tnerican Big Game 



and challenge the others to butt him ofF. 

 Two or three would then jump up, and 

 their horns would come together with a 

 clash that I could hear from my position, 

 which was fully a quarter of a mile away. 

 On one occasion I saw them suddenly 

 stop their play, and each ram became 

 fixed; there the little band stood as 

 though carved out of stone. They re- 

 mained that way for quite half an hour 

 without a movement. I could not detect 

 with the glasses the slightest motion, 

 when, presently, three strange rams made 

 their appearance. Here was the expla- 

 nation that I was looking for. They had 

 seen them long before I had. The three 

 visitors were not very well received, but 

 were compelled to beat an ignominious 

 and hasty retreat. 



As summer draws near, and the winter 

 snow begins to disappear, bands of elk 

 may be seen migrating toward their fa- 

 vorite ranges. The bulls are now to- 

 gether in bands of greater or less extent. 

 Their horns are well grown out, but are 

 soft, and in the velvet. The cows and 

 calves stick closely to the thick timber. 

 As the season advances, and the flies be- 

 come troublesome, the bulls will get up 



17 



