THE ELK IN NORWAY. TEL) 
bourhood of the Altai Mountains. In parts of North 
America it is found in comparatively large numbers. 
The elk was formerly found much further north in 
Norway than is the case at the present day, and was 
also much more numerous. But towards the middle 
and latter part of the eighteenth century its numbers 
were considerably reduced. It was hunted remorselessly ; 
and as its flesh, hide, &., were extremely valuable, 
especially in a cold climate, where provisions were 
scarce, and warm clothing at a premium, it is not very 
surprising that “everybody’s hand was against” the 
poor creature. At that time it could not look to the 
law for protection, and had therefore to trust only 
to the compassion and better feelings of the Norwegian 
Bonde. 
Of course there were some few cases where attempts 
at protection were made, but these were few and far 
between; and even the marvellous tales which were 
current and were firmly believed by the Norwegian 
peasantry (who are even now-a-days far more ready to 
trust in the supernatural than the natural), e. 7., ‘‘ that 
elks, when wounded, have been known to make for the 
nearest farm-house, and have then sprung on to the 
roof, where they have knelt down and begged for their 
life,” did not prove a sufficient safeguard. 
By the beginning of the present century it was 
tolerably evident that the elk-deer would soon take its 
