TRAITS AND HABITS OF THE ELK 303 



enforce his supremacy. The theory that elk are 

 monogamous has almost no adherents in Europe. 

 Exciting stories are told by Russian writers of fatal 

 encounters between bulls in the rutting season. 

 A single powerful bull will often remain in the 

 company of several cows through the season, and 

 succeed in keeping all rivals at a distance, though 

 not without many bloody contests. The com- 

 bativeness of cows in protecting their young from 

 apprehended molestation by men is frequently 

 mentioned by Kapherr. 



The elk seems to show a greater fondness for 

 low moist ground in the Baltic provinces, and in 

 western Russia generally, than in most of his 

 range. The Germans, indeed, sometimes speak of 

 him as the Moorhirsch, or Sumpfhtrsch, meaning 

 "marsh stag.'' If he frequents such territory 

 more than the moose of America do, it is probably 

 because he is less molested there, and better fed, 

 than in the comparatively restricted uplands 

 which are left available for his use. He seems to 

 be even more fond of the water than his American 

 relative. According to Shrowronnek the elk of 

 East Prussia not infrequently swim across the 

 Kurisches Haff, a distance of twenty kilometers 

 (more than twelve miles). 



The food of the elk is drawn from the same wide 



