bhdlich.] SWEET WATER DISTRICT GAME. 61 



pass there on their way southward. During the time we were there 

 (September 7) the largest band seen amounted to about 70 head. Elk 

 (Llajrfius canadensis) occur both on the eastern and western slor^e of the 

 Wind Eiver Eange. Again, some were seen near Sheep Mountain. Gen- 

 erally they run in bands, numbering, during the summer, from 10 to GO 

 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, some were met with. 

 Throughout the Sweetwater Hills, they can be found during the entire 

 year. In fall and whiter they are very abundant there, as well as at 

 the small groups of lakes farther south during the latter season. 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 be found in this region during the winter. 

 Black-tail deer (Cariacus macrotis) are found throughout nearly all the 

 mountains and hills. On the western slope of the Wind Eiver Eange 

 they are plentiful. 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 ; lying 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 abundant. White-tail deer (Cariacus virginianus) 

 are rare in our district, and were 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. 

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

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

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

 a band of more than 100 sheep. Some that were there shot (July 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 (Aniilocapra 

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

 During the season we saAv, probably, at a low estimate, 8,000 of them. 

 In June and July they are shy, 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- 

 dred 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 August 

 and September they are easily shot, owing to their investigating turn of 

 mind, which causes them often to approach a strange object within a 

 short distance. 



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

 (Lepus a?nericanus, var. bairdii). This is the prettiest rabbit of the West, 

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

 dark grayish-brown color, light yellow underneath, but in winter turns 

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

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

 ludicrous sight. Cotton-tail rabbits (Lepus sylvaticus, var, nuttatti) are 

 very frequent hi the bluffs adjoining rivers and streams. Even a long- 

 distance from water, however, they may be found. Their meat has an 

 insipid taste. 



In the mountains and some of the foot-hills, the blue grouse (Tetrao 

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

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



