THE FOOT. 243 



The form of the foot combines with other causes elsewhere 

 mentioned to establish a line, which separates our deer into two 

 divisions. 



The first, embracing the moose, the wapiti, and the two species 

 of caribou, which have shorter, broader, and flatter hoofs than 

 the second, whicli embraces the mule deer, the Columbia deer, 

 the Virginia deer, and the Acapulco deer, which have higher, 

 longer, and narrower feet. 



The hoofs of the IMoose are not remarkably large, considering 

 the size of the animal, and would seem to be less than would be 

 convenient for him in the deep snows of winter and the soft 

 marshy grounds which he affects in summer. They are not long 

 but broad, and convex at the outer edges. They spread only less 

 than those of the caribou. The hoofs themselves are not rigidly 

 attached, but have considerable involuntary motion, when the foot 

 is lifted from the ground, especially if the animal is traveling 

 fast, so that they strike together at every step, producing a loud 

 clacking noise, which the hunters used to ascribe to the cracking 

 of the joints. 



The hind hoofs or dew claws, as they are often called in this 

 country, are rather loosely attached and are far apart. The foot 

 has more spread than any of the other species, except the car- 

 ibou. 



Our Elk has a neat and well shaped foot, longer and narrower 

 than the ox in proportion to his size. It is convex at the lower 

 outer edge. The false or hind hoofs are small and point well 

 downward, never touching the ground unless it is very soft, so 

 that the track is deeply impressed. 



The foot of the Caribou has more remarkable characteristics 

 tlian any other of the deer family, and is peculiarly adapted to 

 sustain it in snows and in soft swampy ground. The hoof is 

 large and very broad, maintaining its breadth well to the point. 

 The cleft between the toes extends far up, and enables the foot 

 to spread so as to expose a large bearing surface, so that the foot 

 at some times appears nearly twice as large as at others, and the 

 imprint in soft ground is so much larger than on a hard surface, 

 as to require the eye of a practical hunter to recognize the track 

 as made by the same animal. Each hoof is surrounded with an 

 abundance of coarse stiff hairs extending quite down the cleft, 

 which add to the bearing surface when the animal is traveling 

 over soft material. The hind or accessory hoofs on this animal 

 are of real use, which will be readily appreciated upon careful 



