THE ELK, OR MOOSE. 131 



the enraged animal has completely stripped the bark 

 from the trunk of a tree by striking with its fore 

 feet." According to Say, at other times, when 

 wounded, he is also dangerous. His hunters wound- 

 ed an animal, which fled to a thicket, where it was 

 pursued by the party. " The noble animal finding 

 his pursuers at his heels, turned on the foremost, 

 who only saved himself by springing into a thicket, 

 which the Elk could not penetrate." In this case, 

 his horns become his greatest foe, for he soon be- 

 came entangled, and fell an easy victim : his head 

 was enveloped in such a quantity of Cissus, Smilax, 

 and other twiggy vines, that scarcely the tips of his 

 horns could be seen. 



In Europe, the Elk is less accurately known, and 

 although, as we observed, surmises of a difference 

 in the species have been raised, yet nothing definite 

 has been discovered, and the correct characters, from 

 European specimens, have not yet been published. 

 It is said to be found in a part of Prussia, Poland, 

 Sweden, Norway, Finland, Lapland, and Russia ; 

 and in Asia, to spread from the thirty-fifth to the 

 fiftieth degrees. 



In Sweden, the powers of this animal were made 

 subservient to public utility. In the reign of 

 Charles IX., Elks were made use of for the purpose 

 of conveying couriers, and were capable of accom- 

 plishing 36 Swedish (about 234> English) miles in 

 a day, when attached to a sledge. 



Dorelli, a Swedish gentleman, recommends them 



