FEB., 1912. MAMMALS OF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN CORY. 67 



Genus CERVUS Linn. 



Cervus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., X ed., I, 1758, p. 66. Type Cervus elaphus 



Linn. 



Size, large; upper canines usually present; antlers, large, turned 

 backward with the tines extending forward; basal tines present and 

 extending over forehead ; antlers normally in male only ; lateral meta- 

 carpals incomplete. 



Dental formula: I. -> C. -or^-^ Pm. ^ ^> M. 22. = 32 or 34. 

 4-4 o-o o-o 3-3 3-3 



Cervus canadensis (ERXLEBEN). 

 AMERICAN ELK. WAPITI. 



[Cervus elaphus] canadensis ERXLEBEN, Syst. Regni Anim., I, 1777, p. 305. 



Elaphus Canadensis LAPHAM, Trans. Wis. State Agr. Soc., II, 1852 (1853), p. 340. 

 KENNICOTT, Trans. 111. State Agr. Soc., I, 1853-54 (1855), p. 580 (Cook Co., 

 Illinois). 



Elaphus canadensis DE KAY, Zoology of New York, Pt. I, Mammalia, 1842, p. 119. 

 AUDUBON & BACHMAN, Quadrupeds of N. Amer., II, 1851, p. 83. 



Cervus canadensis MILES, Rept. Geol. Surv. Mich., 1860 (1861), p. 222 (Michigan). 

 ALLEN, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XIII, 1869 (1871), p. 184 (Iowa). CATON, 

 Antelope and Deer of America, 1877, p. 80 (Illinois). OSBORN, Proc, Iowa 

 Acad. Sci., I, 1887-89 (1890), p. 42 (Iowa). HERRICK, Geol. & Nat. Hist. Surv. 

 Minn., Bull. No. 7, 1892, p. 278 (Minnesota). GARMAN, Bull. Essex Inst., 

 XXVI, 1894, p. 4 (Kentucky). RHOADS, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1896 

 (1897), p. 180 (Tennessee). JACKSON, Bull. Wis. Nat. Hist. Soc., VI, 1908, p. 

 15 (Wisconsin). HOLLISTER, Bull. Wis. Nat. Hist. Soc., VI, 1908, p. 137 (Wis- 

 consin). HAHN, Ann. Rept. Dep. Geol. & Nat. Resources Ind., 1908 (1909), 

 p. 454 (Indiana). F. E. WOOD, Bull. 111. State Lab. Nat. Hist., VIII, 1910, p. 

 515 (Illinois). N. A. WOOD, Mich. Geol. & Biol. Surv. Pub., IV, 1911, p. 309 

 (Michigan). 



Cervus Canadensis THOMAS, Trans. 111. State Agr. Soc., IV, 1859-60 (1861), p. 651 

 (Illinois). STRONG, Geol. Wis., Surv. 1873-79, I, 1883, p. 437 (Wisconsin). 

 HOY, Trans. Wis. Acad. Sci. Arts & Letters, V, 1882, p. 256 (Wisconsin). 



Type locality Eastern Canada. 



Distribution Formerly throughout the greater portion of middle and 

 northern United States, and in eastern Canada north to about the 

 'latitude of Montreal; further west its Canadian range extended 

 gradually further north, until in Alberta it reached at least to lati- 

 tude 56. At the present time it is found in a wild state practically 

 only in the Rocky Mountain region* from Colorado to Alberta. 

 A slightly different subspecies, C. c. occidentalis, occurs in Wash- 

 ington, Oregon, and British Columbia, and closely allied species are 

 found in California (C. nannoides) and in the mountains of Arizona 

 and New Mexico (C. merriami). 

 * It is claimed that a few of these animals still exist in northern Minnesota. 



