ELK 



There i* trikiru; peculiarity in the nature of the 



elk. v i to various conjecture*, \\hen 



. _: I. 1 ' :-:rin, ;t sometimes suddi-iti 1 , fail- 



i lit. and th-n I 'wring it- 



<-ts off" at great speed An opinion I,--.- In me | n - 



to epilepsy ; ami n p.irt of the 



* been worn as an amulet or charm 



temper. I lorses, it is slid, have been 



-.-. :'.h tin- - ;iiu- peculiarity : and we know there are 



.imong the smaller triln-s of animals, some which coun- 



terti it drnth on l>eiog alarmed. 



Tin- elk is hunted in various ways, for the sake of 



kin, nnd as the fur of wild aniir 

 richer in winu-r. that season is commonly selected for 



I'turc. The Indians near Hudson's Hay can 

 run it down, for although endowed with sufficient need, 

 the elk is tender-footed and short winded, so that a 

 giKvI runner will generally tire it in less than a day, 

 ntly in six or eight hours. However, the 

 huntsman has been known to continue the pursuit two 

 before coming up with the game. ( )n such oc- 

 s the Indians go lightly clothed and loaded, in 

 i>vdi r to preserve them from fatigue. When the elk 

 ran advance no farther, it stands and keeps the pursm - 

 nt b.iy with its head and fore feet : by means of the latter 

 it cin kill a clog or even a wolf, and people who sudden- 

 ly ru.-h upon it, are in danger of serious injury ; there- 

 fore the Indi.ins who want fire arms, or bows and ar- 

 -tab the animal with a knife fixed to the end of 

 a long stick. This kind of pursuit is much facilitated 

 by the state of the snow ; for a heavy ;.nimal like the 

 elk sinks deep at every step, when a thaw begins, 

 while the huntsman is kept up by snow shoes on the 

 surface. . v i> in s are also set for the elk : its approach 

 to lakes and rivers is watched, when it is shot with guns 

 or arrows : dogs are likewise used in the chase, and 

 there are various other modes of capture. 



The flesh of the elk is good and nutritious, and the 

 skin is converted to various useful purposes. It serves 

 for covering the tent of the Indian, for his shoes, belts. 

 and all the rest of his clothing, while ladles are made 

 of the horns. The skin, when properly dressed, is 

 peculiarly soft and even ; but not being prepared with 

 oil, it is said to become hard after having been wet, un- 

 less precautions are token to rub it while dr. 



It is probable that some species of these animals are 

 exthi'-t. unless they remain in the recesses of those fo- 

 .- yet unexplored by the modern races of men. 

 But we know from undoubted evidence, that they once 

 dwelt in countries, even in these islands which we now 

 inhabit, where they no longer exist, nor does any tra- 

 dition of them now remain. Horns of enormous size are 

 frequently discovered near the surface of the earth, or 

 far below it, which the present elk, though its neck be 

 of great strength, would almost seem incapable of sup- 

 porting. Nor is it less singular, that such remains 

 are often ossoci ited with those of other animals so dif- 

 ferent in nature, as to render it doubtful whether the 

 living race of both could survive together. 



These enormous horns are probably more common in 

 Ireland than elsewhere, and have certain! v belonged to 

 a specii s nearly analogous to that which dwells in the 

 northern regions of the world. Of this description i* 

 a pair which I)r Mulyneux long ago described inthe Ptii- 

 H-iit Tratuactiont, measuring 10 feet 10 inches, 

 from tip to tip ; each horn 5 feet 2 inches in length, 

 and 1 1 inches in circumference at the root Yet the head 

 bore no proportion to these immoderate dimensions, 

 for it woe only two feet long, by one in breadth, or just 



ELL 



bout the sire of that of the largest of the elki de- 

 -cribed by l)r Sui'th. Hut theee horns do not seem of 

 the l.irge-t s!/e, a- Mr Parkinson more recently speaks 

 nt' one I.'. ircumfefence at the root. The place 



o! their d. -''ally among alluvial remains, ("u- 



xier. a celebrated anatomist, has objected to the 

 horns belonging to the same sjiceies as the promt 

 elk, because, although palm -r.cil like them, the j 

 are higher from the head, and somewhat of a diflirent 

 figure. Hut if we are entitled to judge from analogy, 

 the distinctions are iM very remote; nay, on strictly 

 attending to the dimensions of the heads which 'are dis- 

 covered, inferences misfit IK- drawn that the ancic> 

 of the world wa.s little different from the recent elk in 

 size. SwHwrDe'it/owncte/rmi Hint.-oti'.i liny. Kalm's 

 'I'racrls in Norlk America. I'liilosopi: t-inr, 



voL vi. Pfii/o\ I'raHtactiomt, vol. xxix. p. 31. 



Parkinson's (trgaitii; liemains. vol. iii. Pallas' I'oyages, 

 torn. i. p. 8. (r) 



ELLES.MEKE, amarket town of England, in Shrop- 

 shire, lies Iti miles north-north-west from .Shrewsbury, 

 and 17() north-we-t from London, and is situated cm 

 the margin of a beautiful lake, from which it takes its 

 name. It is a very ancient town, and was formerly 

 very strongly fortified. During the frequent conten- 

 tions between the English and Welsh in the early pe- 

 riod of our history, the castle of Ellcsmere became * 

 post of considerable iin]M>rtancc, nnd was held alter- 

 nately by both nations. The site of the castle, from 

 whence there is a delightful prospect, and a distinct 

 virw of nine different countie.-, i-- now converted into 

 one of the finest bowling greens in the kingdom. \<> 

 vestige of the building remains, except three wali.- 

 and losses, by which it is still surrounded. It is n neat 

 clean town, but has nothing to boast of except its situa- 

 tion. It contains four well-built sti vet.-,. :i spacious church 

 of an irregular cruciform construction, in the centre of 

 which is a handsome square tower with pinnacles ; and 

 the ceiling of the chapel is highly enriched with Gothic 

 fret work. The principal trade of this town con>i>ts in 

 malting and tanning, and it has of late derived consi- 

 derable advantages from the Ellesmere canal, which 

 forms a communication between the river Dee at ("hi., 

 ter, and the Severn at Shrewsbury. The lake covcr- 

 1 Iti acres : it is well stocked with fish, particularly 

 and its margin is finely wooded. On one side stand the 

 tower, and a house of industry for the poor of five 

 neighbouring parishes, and on the other the mansion 

 and park of Oatley. 



According to the population return in 1811, the town 

 and parish contained, 



Inhabited houses 10(il 



Families that occupy them 1(K)1 



Families employed in agriculture . , 613 



Families employed in trade and manufactures . . 452 



Males 271 r, 



Females 2<)'J1. 



Total population 56'39 



See Beauties of England and Wales, vol. xiii. p. 280. 



(r) 



ELLIPSE. See CONIC SECTIONS, vol. vii. p. 136 

 144: :-nd DIMV,I\T, ]\>TR, MKNTS, vol. viii. p. 130. 



ELLIPTIC MOTIONS or TUB PLANETS. See ASTRO- 

 NOMY Index. 



ELL1PTOGRAPH, FARKY'S. Sec DRAWING IN- 

 PTRUMRNT.S, vol. viii. p. 130. col. 2, and PLATE 

 CCXXXVJII. Fig. 9. 



1 



(irph. 



