THE ELK-YARD . 
397 
and the water, mixing with the snow beneath, causes it to 
sink away from the icy surface, leaving a considerable space 
between them. The ‘crust,’ as the frozen surface is technically 
named, is quite strong enough to bear the weight of compara- 
tively small animals, such as wolves, especially when they run 
swiftly over it; but it yields to the enormous weight of the Elk, 
which plunges to its belly at every step. 
The wolves have now the Elk at an advantage. They can 
overtake it without the least difficulty; and if they can bring it 
to bay in the snow, its fate is sealed. They care little for the 
branching horns, but leap boldly at the throat of the hampered 
animal, whose terrible fore-feet are now powerless, and, by dint 
of numbers, soon worry it to death. Man, too, takes advantage 
of this state of the snow, equips himself with snow-shoes, and 
skims over the slight and brittle crust with perfect security. 
An Elk, therefore, whenever abroad in the snow, is liable to 
many dangers, and, in order to avoid them, it makes the curious 
habitation which is called the Elk-yard. 
This winter home is very simple in construction, consisting 
of a large space of ground on which the snow is trampled down 
by continually treading it so as to form both a hard surface, on 
which the animal can walk, and a kind of fortress in which it 
can dwell securely. The whole of the space is not trodden 
down to one uniform level, but consists of a network of roads 
or passages through which the animal can pass at ease. So 
confident is the Elk in the security of the ‘ yard,’ that it can 
scarcely ever be induced to leave its snowy fortification, and pass 
into the open ground. 
This habit renders it quite secure from the attacks of wolves, 
which prowl about the outside of the yard, but dare not venture 
within ; but, unfortunately for the Elk, the very means which 
preserve it from one danger only lead it into another. • If the 
hunter can come upon one of these Elk-yards, he is sure of his 
quarry; for the animal will seldom leave the precincts of the 
snowy inclosure, and the rifle-ball soon lays low the helpless 
victims. 
