THE ELK IN NORWAY. ee 
quick ; and this again is remarkable, for in comparison 
to the size of the body the eye is very small. But 
lest this should not prove a sufficient compensation 
for their defective organs of smell, Nature has granted 
them a most extraordinarily keen sense of hearing. And 
it is principally for this reason that they are so difficult 
of approach. 
When resting, they select rising grounds, where eyes, 
nose, and ears will be most likely to give them timely 
notice of approaching danger. When the weather is 
thick and foggy they will keep to the densest part 
of the forest, but resort to more open spots on clear and 
frosty days. 
The Norwegian hunters use large-bored rifles in elk, 
reindeer, and bear hunting: these are usually made 
up in the country, and are not, therefore, remarkable 
for external beauty and finish. Still many of them 
carry well. Within the last two or three years, how- 
ever, the Kongsberg rifle is getting gradually dispersed 
over the whole country. It is a breech-loader; and 
doubtless many of my readers will have noticed speci- 
mens at the late Exhibition. The barrel is on the 
Whitworth principle; and the breech-loading part is 
after their own invention, and is to my mind a most 
clumsy and unpractical contrivance. However, they 
are very cheap, costing only about three pounds. 
The infection of rifle-shooting has reached Norway 
