46 Game of Europe, W. & N. Asia & America 



has been likened tu the roar of a bear when enraged. There is, however, 

 some evidence to show that the European elk is much less prone to utter 

 the call than is its American representative. 



THE AMERICAN ELK, OR MOOSE 



[A/ccs inacldii (iiiicrica>tus) 



In Deer of All hands no distinction was made between the American 

 and the European elk, but by force of circumstances the writer, almost in 

 spite of himself, has been compelled to recognise such distinction, although 

 the two animals are practically alike in all respects save for certain slight 

 differences in coloration, and it may be in the shape ot the antlers. The 

 main reason for this change ot view is that the Alaskan elk has been 

 described as distinct by American naturalists, and if, as may be quite 

 probable, its right to distinction is recognised, it follows as a matter ot 

 course that the elk of other parts of America must likewise be distinguished 

 from its brother of the Old World. But while quite willing to concede 

 thus much to American opinion, the present writer utterly refuses to regard 

 the American and the Alaskan elk as distinct species, the highest rank, in 

 his opinion, to which they can possibly be entitled being merely that ot 

 local races, or sub-species. 



Apparently the chief claim of the American elk to be distinguished 

 from its European representative is its darker colour, the general hue ot 

 the hair tending to blackish brown rather than to yellowish grey or greyish 

 brown. It is stated, however, that American elk-fawns show faint traces 

 of dappling ; and, as already m.entioned, there is some evidence that it is 

 more noisy in the pairing-season than the elk of Sweden and Norway. At 

 best, however, the distinction between the two is of the slightest. It is 

 true, indeed, that American antlers run larger than European specimens, 

 but it is just possible that this may be due to the incessant persecution to 



