102 CONNECTED WITH VITAL ORGANS. 



every second or third year. The female elk, as is known, 

 has no antlers. 5 * 



The antlers of the elk are palmated ; and their formation 

 is, as with other horned animals, intimately connected with 

 the organs of generation. One was, however, shot some 

 years ago, the horns of which resembled those of an ox 

 they were round, and had each only a single point; but in 

 other respects they were of the same colour and substance 

 as those of other elks. On examination after death, it was 

 found, as surmised, that in consequence of an accident 

 probably the effects of a bullet the animal had been 



* 



emasculated. 



The elk is of a hardy nature. Ekstrom, when limiting 

 him to the 64 of northern latitude, tells us that he is 

 unable to endure so great a degree of cold as the stag, or 

 rein-deer, thereby implying, it is to be presumed, that he 

 cannot exist in the far north. But the severity of the 

 climate is not, I imagine, the real cause of his absence from 

 the more northern portion of Lapland. This is attributable, 

 in my opinion, to his having been exterminated so at least 

 it would appear, for more than one writer tells us he was 

 formerly pretty common in that wild region. 



The elk is a first-rate swimmer; he ploughs the water 

 with such force and rapidity, that it quite foams in his front. 

 And owing to the peculiar conformation of his hoofs, he has 



* There are, however, exceptions to this rule. At the Castle of Aschaffen- 

 burg, in Germany, for instance, there is a horn-cranium of a female elk, 

 having eight points, with this significant inscription : 



Schau 3 , O Welt, ich bin ein Weib, 

 Und trag' des Mannes Waffen ; 

 Ich hab' auf meinem Kopf, 

 Was fiir ihn ist erschaffen ! 



