38 Account of the 



The Elk differs in several very essential circum- 

 stances from the moose. I shall here mention a few 

 of the principal of these circumstances, in connection 

 with each other. Others may readily be collected 

 from the following account of the animal. The moose 

 is the largest animal of the two. (See Note 2.) In 

 proportion to his height, he is much shorter than the 

 Elk. His general colour is darker than that of the 

 Elk. The horns of the moose are palmated, and des- 

 titute of brow-antlers ; whereas those of the Elk are 

 rounded, more like the horns of the common deer, 

 and furnished with brow-antlers. The most essential 

 or specific difference, however, between the two ani- 

 mals, consists in the form of the horns ; yet, if I do 

 not mistake, there is a variety of the Elk with horns 

 inclining more to the palmated shape than those of the 

 Elk which I am describing. 



The American Elk is a beautiful and stately ani- 

 mal. In his general aspect he is much more nearly 

 allied to the stag (Cervus Elaphus), and to the common 

 deer of the United-States (Cervus Virginianus), than 

 the moose is. The form of the head is extremely 

 elegant, tapering to a narrow point. The ears are 

 large. The eyes are very large and black. The neck 

 is moderately large and slender. That of the male is 

 furnished with a short mane, which, however, is larg- 

 er in the winter than at other times of the year. The 

 male is also supplied with a beard under his throat 

 (caruncula gutturalis J , and upon his breast. The 

 tail is very short. The general colour of the body, 

 both in the male and female, is nearly the same. In 



