THE ELK IN NORWAY. 115 



bourhood of the Altai Mountains. In parts of North 

 America it is found in comparatively large numbers. 



The elk was formerly found much further north in 

 Norway than is the case at the present day, and was 

 also much more numerous. But towards the middle 

 and latter part of the eighteenth century its numbers 

 were considerably reduced. It was hunted remorselessly ; 

 and as its flesh, hide, &c., were extremely valuable, 

 especially in a cold climate, where provisions were 

 scarce, and warm clothing at a premium, it is not very 

 surprising that " everybody's hand was against " the 

 poor creature. At that time it could not look to the 

 law for protection, and had therefore to trust only 

 to the compassion and better feelings of the Norwegian 

 Bonde. 



Of course there were some few cases where attempts 

 at protection were made, but these were few and far 

 between; and even the marvellous tales which were 

 current and were firmly believed by the Norwegian 

 peasantry (who are even now-a-days far more ready to 

 trust in the supernatural than the natural), e. g., " that 

 elks, when wounded, have been known to make for the 

 nearest farm-house, and have then sprung on to the 

 roof, where they have knelt down and begged for their 

 life," did not prove a sufficient safeguard. 



By the beginning of the present century it was 

 tolerably evident that the elk-deer would soon take its 



