"70 Moose Deer, — Alces Americana » 



sustenance during that period of the year. In the summer and autumn tijo 

 elk is often to be met with in small herds, but in the winter there are seldom 

 more than two or thi-ee in company. At the latter season indeed he is fre- 

 quently alone. 



" The flesh of the elk, whether fresh or smoked, is very excellent ; the 

 young are particularly delicious. According to Mr. Kilsson it resembles 

 in taste that of the stag. The tongue and the nose are thought to be great 

 delicacies in Scandinavia as well as in America. Great Yirtue was once 

 placed in the hoof of that animal, as parings of it were supposed to be a 

 specific against the falling sickness and other disorders ; but this idle notion 

 must by this time, I should think, be nearly exploded. The skin is convert- 

 ible to many purposes, and is very valuable. Mr. Greiff says : — * It is not 

 long since that a regiment was clothed with waistcoats made from the hides 

 of those animals, which were so thick that a ball could scarcely penetrate 

 them.' He adds further, that 'when made into breeches, a pair of them 

 among the peasantry of former days went as a legacy for several generations.' 



" The dk is easily domesticated ; several instances have come to my 

 knowledge- I had a fawn in my own possession a year ago, but from want 

 of proper nourishment it died. Formerly these animals were made use of 

 in Sweden to draw sledges, but owing, as it was said, to their speed fre- 

 quently accelerating the escape of people who had been guilty of murders, 

 or other crimes, the use of them was prohibited under great penalties. 

 Though I apprehend those ordinances if not abrogated are obsolete, I am 

 not aware that the elk is ever made use of in that kingdom at the present 

 day, either to draw a sledge or for other domestic purposes, 



"In Swe(fen, as I have observed, it is contrary to law at this particular 

 time to kill the elk at any season of the year ; this is not the case in Nor- 

 way ; for in that country as I have just shown, these animals may be des- 

 troyed with certain limitations as to numbers, from the 1st of July to the 

 1st of November inclusive. The penalty, however, for killing an elk out of 

 season in Norway is very much heavier than in Sweden ; it amounts indeed, 

 including legal expenses, &c., to about £20, which is no inconsiderable sum 

 in that kingdom." 



From the above extract, it will be seen how very similar the European 

 elk must be to the American moose deer. We do not pretend to be any 

 authority in the matter, never having seen the elk of the old world, although 

 we have often admired the stately dimensions of that of the new. 



Geographical Distribution. 

 The Moose is found in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, and La- 

 brador. In Lower Canada on both sides of the St. Lawrence below Quebec,, 

 and west of Quebec, on the north slwres of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa, to 

 Lake Temiscamaugue. It rarely strays over to the South shore of the 

 Ottawa, but they are sometimes killed on that side of the river. In the 

 northwest they range to the mouth of Mackenzie's River, on the Arctic sea 

 in latitude 69** . In the State of New York they still exist — rarely m 

 Herkimer, Franklin, Lewis, and Warren counties. 



