CERVID^E. VI. 21 



blood-vessels supplying the velvet, which dries up and is 

 stripped off, leaving the bone hard and insensible; the 

 horns or " antlers " are shed annually, the separation of 

 the "beam" from its "pedicel" taking place just below 

 the burr ; the antlers are wanting in the female (except- 

 ing in the Reindeer) but they are usually present in 

 the male. Herbivorous; stomach in four divisions, of 

 the ordinary ruminant pattern. Dental formula, i. ;; 

 c. (usually) ^; pm. |:|; m. -|;f. A widely distributed 

 family. 



* Horns (in males only) very broadly palmated to the tip ; nose 

 very broad, entirely hairy except a small naked spot between 



nostrils. . ALCE, 1. 



** Horns (in both sexes) broadly palmated at tip ; nose entirely 



hairy. RANGIFER, 2. 



*** Horns (in males only) rounded more or less ; rarely sub-pal- 

 mated ; nose naked and moist. 



f Horns large, curving backward, with the snags all directed 

 forward, one of them immediately above the burr; tail very 

 short ; hoofs broad and rounded ; size very large. 



CERVUS, 3. 



ff Horns smaller, curving forward, the first snag short, at some 

 distance above the base, and like the others curving 

 upward; tail rather long; hoofs rather elongate; size 

 smaller CARiACUS,4. 



/. ALCE, Hamilton Smith. ELKS. 

 1. A. americanus, Jardine. MOOSE. AMERICAN ELK. 

 Largest of our Cervidce, reaching the size of a horse. 

 Maine and N. N. Y. to Oregon and N. 



2. RANGIFER, Hamilton Smith. REINDEER. 



1. R. caribou, Aud. & Bach. WOODLAND CARIBOU. 

 REINDEER. Maine to Hudson's Bay and Lake Superior; 

 perhaps the same as the Reindeer of Europe (R. 

 tarandus.) 



