Hung up on a Summon Monster rule

[Codanous]

I was investigating summoning spells and reading up on how they work to make sure I understand them correctly and I came across a line;

Summon Monster:

A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities. Creatures cannot be summoned into an environment that cannot support them. Creatures summoned using this spell cannot use spells or spell-like abilities that duplicate spells with expensive material components (such as wish).

My question is, does this not allow a wizard from summoning an Elk, 1,000 feet underground because the environment of caves couldn't support it or is this more understandable like not summoning a bird while underwater.

p.s.:

Also does this count for say summoning a gargantuan creature into a space too small for him. I had intended to block a passage by summoning a gargantuan creature but now I am not sure if I can. What do you say guys?

[Sissyl]

The elk is fine as long as it has enough room and can survive in some way. I.e. This is only for making sure you don't summon electric eels without water. Too small is certainly a problem, though. I guess you could say the monster entry needs to have the actual terrain type, but that would be a very harsh and strange ruling to my thinking.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

If the creature can fit into the space by using the squeezing rules, i think you're fine.

The purpose of the rule is to keep you from summoning, say, a hippopotamus 100 feet above your foe and having it fall and squish her.

[Claxon]

Yeah, the main idea is prevent you from summoning non-amphibous things under water or from summoning animals in mid air to try and drop them on an enemy. Those don't work. If an animal is too big to even squeeze into a space it probably also shouldn't work. Outside of that use pretty much the same common sense.

[Mechagamera]

I would say the bird rule. I would not allow you to summon something into a space too small for it--that is consistent with the bird rule. It seems like a "poof, cloud of smoke, and there is your monster" rather than a portal that the monster comes through. If it was a portal, I would let it push through (clawing or bludgeoning its way in), but it would take several rounds where it could take no offensive action and there would be a very good chance that it would collapse the structure you are in.

[Codanous]

Alright, thanks guys, I am glad I got that clarified and that it works like I thought it did.