somewhat resembles the
stag; and 'red deer' is a name used by the Hudson Bay traders. 'Le
biche' is another synonyme of French authors.

"Of all these names I think that of 'wapiti,' which our cousin has
given, the best. The names of 'elk,' 'stag,' and 'red deer,' lead to
confusion, as there are other species to which they properly belong, all
of which are entirely different from the wapiti. I believe that this
last name is now used by the best-informed naturalists.

"In my opinion," continued Lucien, "the wapiti is the noblest of all the
deer kind. It possesses the fine form of the European stag, while it is
nearly a third larger and stronger. It has all the grace of limb and
motion that belongs to the common deer, while its towering horns give it
a most majestic and imposing appearance. Its colour during the summer is
of a reddish brown, hence the name red deer; but, indeed, the reddish
tint upon the wapiti is deeper and richer than that of its European
cousin.

"The wapiti, like other deer, brings forth its fawns in the spring. They
are usually a male and female, for two is the number it produces. The
males only have horns; and they must be several years old before the
antlers become full and branching. They fall every year, but not until
February or March, and then the new ones grow out in a month or six
weeks. During the summer the horns remain soft and tender to the touch.
They are covered at this time with a soft membrane, that looks like
greyish velvet, and they are then said to be 'in the velvet.' There are
nerves and blood-vessels running through this membrane, and a blow upon
the horns at this season gives great pain to the animal. When the autumn
arrives the velvet peels off, and they become as hard as bone.

"They would need to be, for this is the 'rutting' season, and the bucks
fight furious battles with each other, clashing their horns together, as
if they would break them to pieces. Very often a pair of bucks, while
thus contending, 'lock' their antlers, and being unable to draw them
apart, remain head to head, until both die with hunger, or fall a prey
to the prowling wolves. This is true not only of the elk, but also of
the reindeer, the moose, and many other species of deer. Hundreds of
pairs of horns have been found thus 'locked,' and the solitary hunter
has often surprised the deer in this unpleasant predicament.

"The wapiti utters a whistling sound, that can be heard far off, and
often guides