RUMINANTIA. 205 



beam, where they are united into a sort of crown, and are said 

 to be palmated. The oldest have not usually more than ten or 

 twelve antlers; though it is said some have borne the enormous 

 number of thirty-three. (See Plate VII. fig. 2.) 



Deer are remarkable for the acuteness of their hearing and 

 smelling, and it is therefore very difficult for the hunter to ap- 

 proach them when he follows the course of the wind. They 

 are very nice in choosing their food, and will not eat that which 

 has been handled or touched by any foreign substance. The 

 flesh of many of these animals, as is well known, is used for 

 food, and familiarly known under the name of venison. Strong 

 and lasting leather is made from their skins. According to Dr. 

 De Kay, (N. H. S. N. Y.,) this family "comprises forty-five 

 real or nominal species, distributed, according to the ideas of sys- 

 tematic writers, into eight or ten genera. But six species are 

 found within the United States, and of these three only exist in 

 the State of New York." 



Elaphus Canadensis, or C. Canadensis. The AMERICAN 

 STAG, or WAPITI, or ROUND-HORNED ELK. 



This animal, which is frequently called the Canada Stag, is 

 of a much larger and stronger make than the Stags of Europe ; 

 and in fact is one of the most gigantic of the deer tribe, being 

 from four to five feet in height and from seven to eight feet in 

 length. Their horns are shed annually ; tKey are round and very 

 large, branching into serpentine curves, but never palmated, and 

 measuring six feet from tip to tip. (Plate VII. fig. 4.) Under the 

 throat of the male is a dewlap composed of black hair from four 

 to six inches long ; the tail, in both sexes is very short. Most of the 

 upper parts of the Wapiti are of a lively yellowish brown color ; the 

 neck is mixed red and black ; the rump yellowish, bounded by a 

 dark, circular marginal line ; the limbs on the front are deep 

 brown ; the tail yellowish. The Wapiti feeds on grass and 

 young shoots of trees ; is easily tamed and has been trained to 

 the harness. It is said to make a shrill, quivering noise, " not 

 very unlike the braying of an ass." The flesh is somewhat 

 coarse, and not highly valued ; but its hide, when made into 

 leather is said not to turn hard in drying after having been wet, 

 a quality which places it in high estimation. The Wapiti is 

 found, not only in the northern parts of this continent, but on the 

 western prairies, and in California, Oregon, and New Mexico. 

 C. axis. The Axis. (So named by Pliny.) 

 Of this beautiful deer there are two varieties. The common 

 Axis, in its size and general form, nearly resembles the fallow 

 deer, being, at the shoulder, about two and a half feet in height. 



