THE RED-DEER GROUP 937 



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 half inches on one side, and of eleven on the other. The Thian-Shan stag is said to 



stand six feet at the shoulder, but this requires confirmation. 



. . The New- World representative of the present group is the well- 



known North- American wapiti ( C. canadensis) , persistently misnamed 

 elk in its native country. The wapiti is distinguished from the hangul and the 

 shou (to which it is more closely related than it is to the red deer) by the form and 

 proportions of its antlers, which are characterized by their general smoothness, and 

 the tendency to a flattening and expansion of the surroyal tines, which, in fully 

 adult stags, are usually three or more in number; and also by the well-marked back- 

 ward curvature and want of convergence in the upper part of the beam. In color 

 the wapiti is dark brown on the head and neck, while the back, flanks, and thighs 

 are creamy gray, with the under part of the body blackish. The legs are brown, 

 and the lower portion of the light patch on the buttocks is bordered with black. 

 Mr. Caton gives the height of a full-grown stag as rather more than five feet four 

 inches (sixteen hands), but otherwriters estimate the height of the largest individu- 

 als at five feet eight inches (seventeen hands) at the shoulder. The usual weight is 

 about 700 hundred pounds, but it is said that large males will exceed 1,000 pounds 

 in weight, although some full-grown females do not scale more than 400 pounds. 



In the fifth year the antlers develop five points; but after that period the num- 

 ber increases irregularly, and there are frequently more snags on the one antler than 

 on the other. Very rarely is there any approach to the cup in the crown of the 

 antler distinctive of the red deer. Antlers of the wapiti attain very large dimensions. 

 Of two fine pairs in the collection of Mr. Otho Shaw, the dimensions are as follows, 

 in inches, No. i, length 49^, span 54, basal girth 8; No. 2, length 55^-, span 48!, 

 basal girth *]\. In two examples belonging to Mr. E. S. Cameron, the total lengths 

 are respectively 53^ and 55^ inches, the spans 47^' and 44^ inches, and the basal 

 girths just above the burr 9^ and 10 inches. The maximum recorded lengths are, 

 however, 6of , 61^-, 62, and 62^- inches. 



The range of the wapiti has of late years been greatly restricted by the advance 

 of civilization, while the same cause, coupled with constant persecution on the part 

 of sportsmen, has likewise reduced its numbers in a corresponding degree. Mr. W. 

 A. Perry states, that the wapiti was formerly found in nearly all parts of the United 

 States, in Mexico, and in British America as far north as the sixtieth parallel of north 

 latitude; but it has vanished before the approach of civilization, and is now found 

 only in the remotest mountain fastnesses west of the Missouri river, or in the great 

 forests of British America. The largest herds now remaining outside of the National 

 Yellowstone Park are found in the Olympic mountains of Washington, and among 

 the mountains of Vancouver island. There are still many remaining in theCascade and 

 Rocky ranges, but they do not congregate there in large herds as they do in the Coast 

 ranges. Another recent writer states, that less than ten years ago there were many 

 secluded districts in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, where, during the late autumn 

 and winter, wapiti might be seen banded together in herds numbering many thousands 

 of individuals; whereas, now, it is seldom that a hundred can be found together. 



The general habits of the wapiti seem to be very similar to those of the red 

 deer, the old stags living apart from the main herd during the greater part of the 



