272 Merriam A New Elk from the Olympics. 



rill, Major and Surgeon U. S. Army, informs me that he also has 

 seen numerous heads and antlers of the Olympic Elk, all of 

 which were distinguishable at a glance from the common species. 



In the Oregon exhibit of the World's Columbian Exposition 

 at Chicago, in 1893, were several mounted heads of this Elk. 

 They were examined by Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, who told me 

 that they differed from those of the Rocky Mountain animal in 

 being black and in having antlers with relatively straight beams 

 and an irregular cluster of points at the tip instead of the usual 

 incurved terminal prong. 



Mr. Roosevelt, in his entertaining ' Wilderness Hunter,' describes 

 the Rocky Mountain Elk or Wapiti as " not only the most stately 

 and beautiful of American game, but also the noblest of the stag 

 kind throughout the world ; " and adds : " Whoever kills him 

 has killed the chief of his race, for he stands far above his breth 

 ren of Asia and Europe." These remarks must now be trans 

 ferred from the common Wapiti to the Pacific coast animal. 



Last summer, when engaged in field-work in the Puget Sound 

 region, I saw several heads and a few hides of this Elk, and was 

 surprised that such a superb species had remained so long un- 

 described. I deem it a privilege to name this splendid animal 

 Roosevelt's Wapiti. It is fitting that the noblest deer of Amer 

 ica should perpetuate the name of one who, in the midst of a 

 busy public career, has found time to study our larger mam 

 mals in their native haunts and has written the best accounts 

 we have ever had of their habits and chase. 



Cervus roosevelti sp. nov. Roosevelt's Wapiti. 



Type from Mt. Elaine (on ridge between heads of Hoh, El wall, and 

 Soleduc rivers) near Mt. Olympus, Olympic Mts., State of Washington. 



Type No. 91579, tf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Col 

 lected Oct. 4, 1897 by Hans and Chris Emmet. 



General characters. Size large ; head and legs black (probably only in 

 winter pelage) ; skull and antlers massive ; beams of antlers relatively 

 short and straight, with terminal prong aborted. 



Description of type specimen (which has nearly completed the molt from 

 fall to winter pelage). Face from between eyes to nose-pad, sooty blackish, 

 somewhat grizzled on cheeks with golden-brown; eyelids black, sur 

 rounded by area of pale fulvous, incomplete anteriorly ; rest of head and 

 neck brown, becoming black along median line and mixed black and 

 reddish on top of head ; back and sides a peculiar grayish brown with 

 incomplete dusky stripe along median dorsal line ; breast and belly dull 

 reddish chestnut ; legs and feet sooty black with space between hoof and 



