228 REV. G. S. DOBBIE ON INFLUENCE OF CIVILIZATION 
localities it seems to range as far as the limits of forest 
growth. 
As Norway is now a popular resort of Scotch holiday- 
makers, we may do well to translate M. Grevé’s account of 
the elk’s recent history in that country and in other parts 
of Scandinavia. 
‘Let us now turn to another territory, Scandinavia. Here 
the elk does not cross the 66th parallel N. lat., and goes as 
far south as the 58th. In the year 1757, elks were to be 
found here and there in Skane, and till 1836 they maintained 
their ground in Dalekarlia, Herjeidalen, Oesterdalen, Hede- 
marken, Gulbrandsdalen, and Waldersdalen. In this year 
the peasants of Skane began to wage against the elk a war 
of utter extermination, and in 1847 but few were left in 
Dalekarlia, Herjeidalen, Oesterdalen, Hedemarken, and, 
speaking generally, in Southern Norway. In 1890, elks 
appeared in Westergotland, Wermland, in the neighbourhood 
of Lake Wener, in Smaland, and in Kronoberg, in all which 
localities they multiplied, since a prohibition was forthwith 
issued which absolutely debarred their pursuit till the year 
1900. At the present moment the best localities for elks 
in Sweden are in the Hunneberg district, in the province of 
Smiland, and in the neighbourhood of Goteborg, though 
these forests are not so well stocked as those of Akershus, 
Kristians, Namsos (in the districts of Grong, Overhalden, 
Snaasen, Lie, Namdalseidet, Finwold, Linsedmoen, and M6), 
Grimelit Berg Gorgalten, Drontheim ‘ Amt, Hedemarken, 
and Buskerud. Those which have appeared in Swedish 
Lapland may always be considered stragglers ; this is plainly 
shown by the records which have existed since 1675.” 
In Sweden 1550 elks were killed in 1896, while in 1894 
1252 fell in Norway; but since these dates their numbers 
have in both countries visibly decreased. In Finland the 
elk appears never to have been abundant; but it still occurs 
in isolated localities, and here it extends as far north as 
lat. 62°. 
Before the river Niemen enters the Kurisches Haff, it divides 
into two main branches, the Gilge and the Russ, and forms 
a delta of considerable size. The swampy ground, treach- 
erous and at all times difficult of access, is in wet seasons 
