Ohfervdtlons on the Eli. 4,5 



by us) ; and in autumn, to a grey, which continues through 

 the winter. The rump is of a pale yeilowifh white, the co- 

 lour extending about fix or feyen inches from the tail, on all 

 iides, and very diftincl from the general colour of the body. 

 A black femicircular line, of unequal width, (from 2 to ■} 

 inches,) feparates the white of the rump, on either fide, from 

 the dun or grey of the body. The forepart or fliin of the 

 legs, and the nofe, are black. The under-lip is flefliy, and 

 marked, in all four, in an uniform and peculiar manner. 

 Near the cheek, on each fide, it is black; and a black fi;ripe 

 divides it equally underneath : the refi: is white, — ^The male 

 has a {hort mane, about two inches longer than the reft of 

 the hair on the body. At this time the hair was very fliort; 

 but in winter it is faid to be four inches in length, and the 

 mane fix, and of the colour of the body. The male alfo has 

 9, beard, or covering of hair, under his throat and upon his 

 breaft, which, though fliort in fummer, grows out, in the 

 courfe of the autupm, fix or more inches beyond the hair of 

 the body ; and is then, as now, of a deep black colour. This 

 beard is wanting in the female. The male fheds it every 

 fpring. 



Head. — ^The head (as will be fecn Plate II.) refembles 

 that of the conjmon deer, and of the horfe, much more than 

 that of the moofe, and is pointed and handfome. Tlic /it'ck 

 is rather long and handfome. 



The elk has an oblique flit or opening under the inner 

 angle of each eye, externally, of near an inch in length ; 

 which is faid to communicate with the noftril *. But this 

 we could not corrc6lIy afcertain by examination, thouoh 

 4here feems no rcafon to doubt the faft» Something of the 

 fame kind obtains in the fallow-deer, fuppofcd to be analo- 

 gous to the punSa lachry7nalia in the human head. (See 

 Mr. White's Nat. liift. of Selborn : fee alfo Encyclopaedia, 

 art. Cer-vus.) A like opening is noticed by Sparman, and 



* Mr. Campbell, of Riclimond, Vii.ginia, informed mc, that in tie 

 Ik-leton hta'l of an elk, which he liad fccn, the opening under the tv( , 

 communicating with the roftril, was fo large that the thumb might I', 

 eafily introduced into it. 



fuppofed 



