Feb., 191 2. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 69 



Description — Adult male: Legs very large, much larger than a Virginia 

 Deer; antlers usually more than 40 inches long, turned backward and 

 tines or branches extending from front side of antler; general body 

 color pale tawny brown; head, neck and chest dark brown; legs 

 clove brown; a noticeably large yellowish white patch on rump, 

 surrounding the tail; young with white spots. 



Measurements — Adults: Length, about 7^ to 8 feet; height at 

 shoulder, 4^2 to 5>4' feet; average weight, 500 to 600 lbs. 

 For many years the Elk has been extinct in Illinois and Wisconsin. 



Only a few antlers, which are occasionally found, remain to mark the 



presence within our limits of this noble representative of the Deer 



family which was at one time so abundant. 



Elk antlers may readily be distinguished from those of our Deer by 



the following characters: 



Elk antlers (adult) — Size large, more than 35 inches long, turned 

 backward, with tines or branches extending from front side of 

 antler; basal tines present and extending over forehead. 

 Deer antlers (adult) — Size medium, less than 30 inches long, ter- 

 minal half curved forward, the tines or branches extending from 

 back side of the antler. 



American Elk. Virginia Deer. 



In the early part of the last century Elk or Wapiti* were common as 



far east as Virginia and New York, but the march of civilization drove 



them further and further west with constantly decreasing numbers. 



Audubon states that there were still a few left in the mountains of 



northwestern Pennsylvania as late as 1835, and they were known to 



exist in western Virginia in 1847. They disappeared in New York at 



even an earlier date, the latest record being given by Dr. De Kay, who 



* Barton states that Wapiti is the name by which this animal was known to the 

 Shawnee Indians (Phila. Med. & Phys. Journ., March, 1806, p. 37). 



