317 



ALCE AMERICANUS, (Jardine). 



THE MOOSE OR EUROPEAN ELK. 



Prof. Baird says : " It is somewhat unfortunate that the European name of 

 this animal, the elk, should be applied here in America to an entirely different 

 animal or deer. Much confusion has been produced in this way, and it becomes 

 necessary to ascertain the nationality of an author before it is possible to know 

 exactly what the word elk is intended to convey." 



Specific Character. — Muzzle very broad, protruded, covered with hair, except 

 a small moist naked spot in front of the nostrils ; neck short and thick ; hair 

 thick and brittle ; throat rather maned in both sexes ; hind legs have the tuft of 

 hair lather above the middle of the metatarsus ; the males have palmate horns. 

 1 he nose cavity in the skull is very large, reaching behind to a line over the 

 front of the grinders ; the intermaxillaries are very long, but do not reach to the 

 nasal. The nasals are very short. 



Habitat— 'Novthcrn United States northward. . Still found, though scarce, 

 in Northern Ontario. 



Averafje Size. — Equal to that of a large horse. 



Average Weight. — 800 to 1,000 pounds. 



Average Height.^5 feet. 



Average Length. — 7 to 8 feet. 



Average Value of Skin. — In the raw $4 to $5, or 40c. per pound. 



It is generally conceded that the American moose is the same animal as the 

 Swedish elk. It is certainly the largest of the deer tribe found on this continent 

 and fully equals a horse in bulk. 



The males are considerably larger than the females and often weigh over a 

 thousand pounds. 



The moose varies in colour according to season and climate, some being of an 

 ashy gray, others of a darker gray, and a few in the autumn of a glossy black. 



The extremities of the hair are generally brown or black, and dingy white 

 towards the roots. 



The young are generally of a gray brown colour which darkens with age. 



The hair is coarse and strong and inclined to brittleness. 



The males have their necks adorned with manes of stiff' hairs varying in 

 length from five to ten inches. 



Two fleshy dewlaps hang from their throats and are covered with long black 

 hairs. The tail is remarkable for its extreme shortness. 



The legs, head, nostrils, and ears are of enoimous proportions, the body short 

 and thick, the eyes small, and tlic upper lip elongated, thick, ponderous and 

 flexible. So curiously constructed is the upper lip that it is general!}' described 

 as being between that of a horse and a tapir. It is scpiare in shape and appears 

 to be divided on account of a deep furrow in the middle. Four pairs of strong 

 muscles arising from the muxillaries allow ot" rapid and varied movement of the 

 heavy lip. 



