290 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



Finland, Lapland, and Russia. In Asia it is found 

 farther south, from thirty-five to beyond the fiftieth, 

 spreading over Tartary, and abounding in Japan, if 

 indeed the denomination of Elk is not misstated for 

 that of Rusa, or an undescribed species. In America 

 it resides between the forty-fourth and fifty-third de 

 grees, round the great lakes, and over the whole of 

 Canada and New Brunswick. 



Its movements are rather heavy, and the shoul 

 ders being higher than the croup it does not gallop, 

 but shuffles or ambles along, its joints cracking at 

 every step with a sound heard to some distance. In 

 creasing its speed, the hind feet straddle to avoid 

 treading on its fore-heels, tossing the head and shoul 

 ders like a horse about to break from a trot to a 

 gallop. It does not leap, but steps without effort over 

 a fallen tree, a gate, or a split fence. During its 

 progress it holds the nose up, so as to lay the horns 

 horizontally back. This attitude prevents it seeing 

 the ground distinctly, and as the weight is carried very 

 high upon his elevated legs, it is said sometimes to 

 trip by treading on its fore-heels or otherwise, 

 and occasionally to give itself a heavy fall. It 

 is probably owing to this occurence that the Elk 

 was believed by the ancients and the vulgar to have 

 frequent attacks of epilepsy, and to be obliged to 

 smell its hoof before it could recover ; hence the 

 Teutonic name of eleud (miserable), and the reputa 

 tion especially of the fore hoofs as a specific against 

 the disease. 



During the winter months, the Elk resides chiefly 

 in hilly woods, in snowy weather seeking the covers, 

 and in clear the open spaces. In summer it frequents 

 swamps on the borders of lakes, often going deep into 



