20 



MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



animal wears it. There is a small goatee and a very short, spike of a 

 tail. 



The first design of the coat of arms as used in the public laws of Michi- 

 gan appears in 1839, and continues to 1S72, inclusive. In this (shown in 

 Fig. 1) the moose stands at the left instead of at the right, and under him 

 and beyond may be seen part of a train of short cars, and under the elk a 

 plain steamboat. The^ eagle is spreading his wings in a graceful position 

 as though just about to tly. The moose has a narrow nose much like that 



Fig. 1. 



of the elk, and a shaggy neck considerably resembling the neck of a long- 

 haired dog which had been closely sheared from the rear to the shoulders. 

 In 1870, in some state reports, there is a change (as shown in Fig. 2.) 

 The shield is shorter and broader, tlie eagle has risen above it, but still 

 clings to his arrows; and now it is difficult to distinguish the moose from 

 the elk, and both resemble bucks more nearly than an elk. On the left a 

 man seems to be picking into a mine, on the right the boat has arrived. 

 This boat is modified in style, when compared with the one above figured, 

 having a mast as w^ell as a smoke stack. The design was for a long time 

 used as a part of the heading of the Lansing Republican. 



Fig. 2. 



In 1870, wliilc the Hon. C. A. (lOAver was superintendent of public in- 

 struction, another design was used in his report — (Fig. 3). Grreat changes 

 appear. The elk and the moose with sharp noses and smooth shoulders 

 becoming tired of standing on their hind legs all these years, drop down 

 onto all fours, waltzing around or one chasing the other, till they finally 

 stop with the moose to the right of the shield. The eagle was evidently 

 frightened at this and raised, extending his wings ccmsiderable, perhaps 

 fearing the shield would tip over for lack of sup])ort. The railway train 

 is of a different tyi)e and is closc^ onto the heels of the moose. Farther 



