Jane DeBonis, age l2, of staten Island, N.Y., for her question:

What exactly is a wapiti?

This handsome deer once roamed over most of our land, but nowadays he lives wild only in the western mountains. A grown wapiti is as big as a mule and a large stag may tip the scales at half a ton. His proud head is crowned with spreading antlers that sometimes branch into as many as l2 points. The average male stands five feet at shoulder level and his graceful antlers may spread five feet wide.

The baby fawns are born with spotted coats. In the fall, when the youngsters are about three months old, the white spots fade and the coats darken. As adults, they will wear thick gray .brown coats with darker ruffs of shaggy hair around their sturdy necks. Perhaps you can picture the handsome wapiti and compare him with pictures you have seen of him  for he is our lordly elk.