118 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



tion, while its small sunken eye, with its sinister expression, com- 

 pels the observer to turn away with an unpleasant sensation. 

 Still its structure in many respects seems to adapt it to meet the 

 exigencies of the life which it is obliged to lead. Its long and 

 powerful legs enable it to force its way through snows and 

 thickets which it often encounters in winter, and to wade and 

 swim in the water, to which its summer habits lead it. Its fore 

 legs are considerably longer than its hind legs, which makes it 

 much taller before than behind, while its short horizontal neck 

 seems to magnify this deformity. 



They vary much in weight as well as in height. The largest 

 specimens attain a weight of more than twelve hundred pounds, 

 and are six and one half feet tall anteriorly, though the average 

 weight and height are much less than this. The female is con- 

 siderably smaller than the male. 



The next in size is our Elk, the Wapiti Deer. One is not 

 struck with the beauty of this animal when it is listlessly stand- 

 ing in some retired shade quietly ruminating, but when awakened 

 by excitement it seems to change its form : animation and ex- 

 pression pervade every feature of the animal, and we are at once 

 charmed by a beauty and a symmetry which before were entirely 

 wanting. Though considerably smaller than our moose, it is 

 scarcely less in size than the European elk. There is no mem- 

 ber of the family in which a greater diversity of size is met with 

 than in the adult Wapiti, both male and female. This is es- 

 pecially true of the length of their legs. Some having very short, 

 and others very long legs. The maximum live weight of this 

 deer exceeds one thousand pounds, and in height the largest 

 exceeds sixteen hands, or five feet and four inches. I had one 

 which was fully that height, and when he was killed at five years 

 old he was estimated to weigh nine hundred pounds, which I 

 think was not too much, as at three years old he weighed six 

 hundred and fifty pounds without antlers. I have had adult 

 females of less than four hundred pounds' weight. 



The Woodland Caribou ranges next in size. It has shorter legs 

 and is not so high in proportion to weight as those above named. 

 Among them, too, is a very considerable difference in size. Four 

 hundred pounds is the largest weight I find specified for this 

 animal, though I think it probable this weight is sometimes ex- 

 ceeded. 



This animal approaches nearer in form and proportions to our 

 domestic ox than any other deer, though the American variety 



