256 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



he cites a number of other species from other countries possessing 

 the same pecuHarity. 



The first and the only mention I find of this interesting fact, 

 as connected with our Elk, is by Professor Baird in his descrip- 

 tion of the quadrupeds in Pacific Railroad Reports, but the hesi- 

 tancy with which he mentions it shows how remarkable he con- 

 sidered it, and that he thought it possible that the specimen 

 which he examined might be exceptional in this regard. It is 

 also wanting on the red deer of Europe. 



The metatarsal gland on the outside of the hind leg of the 

 Wapiti, and so of the red deer, is conspicuously present, though 

 we may with propriety say that it is more obliterated than on the 

 others which still retain it. On this animal alone this gland is 

 entirely overgrown with hairs. It is situated on the outside, near 

 the back edge, and about two inches below the upper end of the 

 cannon bone, and is covered with a tuft of long white hairs, on 

 the outside of which there is a border of long colored hairs (see 

 Fig. 6, p. 258). The tuft is ovate in shape, is from three to four 

 inches long, and is one inch and six lines broad. The space occu- 

 pied by the white hairs is about one inch and six lines long, and 

 less than one inch broad. These white hairs are frequently con- 

 cealed by longer surrounding hairs overlaying them, and some- 

 times the white hairs are much longer than the others, and become 

 quite conspicuous, and extend themselves posteriorly as if they 

 would embrace the back edge of the leg. When the surrounding 

 hairs are the longest, and overlay the white, they unite in a seam 

 which has a descending posterior direction. Surrounding the long 

 colored hairs is a border of short cinnamon-colored hairs. This 

 border of short hairs is of a much lighter color than those on the 

 leg beyond it, and is about half an inch broad. From the bot- 

 tom of the tuft descends a stripe of the same rufous color, nine 

 lines broad, down the posterior edge of the leg to between the 

 small hind toes or accessory hoofs. The structure of the gland 

 beneath is much like that of the tarsal gland on the other mem- 

 bers of this family. This metatarsal gland has almost become 

 inactive on Wapiti, and presents a massive spongy appearance, 

 making the skin appear much thicker there than on the surround- 

 ing parts ; or perhaps it has not yet attained that vitality and 

 activity which enables it to obliterate the hairs which cover it, as 

 is observed on the other species where it is present. 



In this connection it is interesting to repeat, that no remnant 

 or rudiment of this metatarsal gland is found on the two other 



