274 



The Living Animals of the World 



head that he was mine." The weight of this big reindeer stag was estimated at 450 Ibs., 

 or 32 stone. lie carried twenty-five points to his antlers, which measured 51 inches in 

 extreme length. 



In addition to the common or Scandinavian reindeer, there are closely allied races, showing, 

 however, slightly varying characteristics, found in Spitzbergen and Greenland. In North 

 America, where only wild reindeer are found, these animals are known as CARIBOU. Here several 

 sub-species are known : among them, the NEWFOUNDLAND CARIBOU ; the WOODLAND CARIBOU of 

 the mainland; and the BARREN-GROUND CARIBOU, found in the arctic wastes of the Far North- 

 west, towards the Polar Ocean. 



THE ELK, OR MOOSE. 



This gigantic creature, the largest of all the numerous tribe of deer, is found, in the Old 

 World, in Northern Europe, Siberia, and Northern China. Its range extends for there is no 

 real distinction between the elk of the Old and the New Worlds to Northern America, where 

 it is always known as the MOOSE. Its transatlantic habitat runs from the mouth of the 

 Mackenzie Kiver to the St. Lawrence. Wherever its abiding-place may be, it will be found that 

 the elk is essentially a forest-loving creature, partial to the loneliest stretches of the woods and 

 dreary marshes. Its fleshy, bulbous, prehensile muzzle shows plainly that the elk is a browsing 

 beast, and not a grazing animal, like most other deer. The male carries vast palmated horns, 

 measuring sometimes as much as 6 feet 1 inch in span from tip to tip; this measurement 

 is from an American specimen in the possession of the Duke of Westminster. A fine 

 Scandinavian bull will measure 18 hands at the withers and weigh as much as 90 stone, 

 while the North American elk is said to attain as much as 1,400 Ibs. In colour the elk is a 

 dark brownish grey ; the neck, body, and tail are short ; while the animal stands very high 



, 



, 



By permission of the New York Zoological Society. 



FEMALE AMERICAN ELK, OR MOOSE. 

 The elk of the two hemispheres are so alike that they cannot be regarded as anything more than races of a single species. 



