82 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



high. All these small specimens are now eliminated from my 

 herd, while the impress of that first large buck is very percep- 

 tible on my stock. I think six hundred pounds will exceed the 

 average live weight of the full grown buck. 



The Elk is taller and shorter in proportion to his weight, than 

 either the ox or the horse. It is to be regretted that I neglected 

 to take the measurements of the large specimen of which I have 

 spoken ; but the truth is, I did not understand the importance of 

 the subject then as I do now, nor did I then feel the scientific in- 

 terest in it which I now feel. Our Elk has a small, well-formed 

 head, which is very broad between the eyes, which are rather 

 prominent and brilliant. The nose is small and naked. The 

 lachrymal opening is large, and is situate immediately below the 

 inner corner of the eye, and is surrounded by a naked border. 



It has a large, coarse ear. The antlers are cylindrical, with 

 anterior tines, which are long, slender, and graceful. The neck 

 is rather short. The body is round. It has a very short tail. 

 The legs ai-e long, clean, and flat. The fore legs are straight, 

 the hind legs rather crooked. The feet are small. 



The shades of color differ considerably on different individuals. 

 In general it may be said that the head is a chestnut brown ; 

 neck dark brown ; sides, back, and thighs, yellowish gray ; under 

 the belly black ; legs, clove brown. On the rump is a white 

 patch which extends down on either side of the tail and unites 

 with the white below between the legs. The lower part of the 

 white patch has a black border on either side. 



The metatarsal gland is present, but is overgrown with hairs ; 

 the tarsal gland is entirely wanting, in which it differs from all 

 the other species of this genus, in this country, though there are 

 some in Europe and in India, in which this gland is also want- 



The Elk has a very thick skin, which affords a great protection 

 against violence. He minds but little a blow from a club, or a 

 whip, or a stone. It takes a hard thrust even with a hay-fork, 

 to make him mind it much unless a very vulnerable point is 

 reached, as,close back of the fore leg. 



The hairs of the summer coat and of the early winter coat are 

 short and pretty solid, but as the season advances, on the body, 

 thighs, and neck the hairs grow longer, and in diameter and the 

 cavity within, are much enlarged ; they become crinkled and 

 more fragile, but never as brittle as on some of the other species. 

 In winter, a heavy undercoat of fur is always present. 



