HABITS OF THE WAPITI. 25 



the world. The destruction of native birds and mammals by dogs 

 and cats that have gone wild furnishes an equally valid argument for 

 caution. Probably less danger attends the acclimatization and release 

 of the class of animals under discussion than- any other ; and yet it 

 is known that deer and antelope under certain circumstances have 

 increased so enormously as to destroy important crops. Ordinarily 

 should thej^ prove injurious in the United States, the removal of 

 protection would be followed by their speedy extermination as game. 



THE WAPITI, OR ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK. 



HABITS. 



In this bulletin the life history and habits of the Rocky Mountain 

 elk are discussed only so far as they bear on the care and management 

 of the animals in captivity or in game preserves. 



On account of its size, the elk holds a place among American deer 

 much like that occupied by the red deer among European Cervidse. 

 Although a larger species, its general resemblance to the red deer 

 caused early immigrants to apply that name to it. In New England, 

 where there were no elk, the common Virginia deer was called the 

 red deer. This confusion of names probably led to the adoption of 

 the name elk for the wapiti because of its size. In view of its re- 

 semblance to the red deer so common in parks in the Old World, it 

 seems strange that attempts to domesticate the wapiti in America 

 were so long delayed. 



The elk is both a browsing and a grazing animal. While it eats 

 grass freely and can subsist upon it alone, it thrives best where there 

 are also trees and underbrush. In its former range, when the sur- 

 roundings permitted, it retreated into mountains and woodlands in 

 summer, where it fed upon buds, twigs, leaves, and woodland grasses, 

 while in winter it grazed chiefly in open prairies or glades, unless 

 driven to timber by deep snows. The Wyoming herds summer chiefly 

 in the high mountain pastures of the Yellowstone Park, and when 

 these become covered with deep snow the animals retreat to the val- 

 leys southward and eastward of the park. They formerly ranged 

 far out on the plains in winter, but intense summer grazing by cattle 

 and sheep now leaves the winter pasturage too scant for them. 



The American elk is extremely polygamous. The horns of adult 

 bulls usually drop off in March or April, and new ones attain their 

 full size within ninety days. The velvet adheres until about August, 

 when it is gradually shed. The animals hasten the shedding by 

 thrashing their horns against small trees and bushes. This is often 

 referred to by hunters as " shaking," from the fact that the motion 

 of the trees may be seen at great distances. The bulls usually lead 

 solitary lives while the horns are growing, but early in September, 

 63030°— Bull. 36—10 4 



