THE ALCINK DI-^Ell OF THE OLD AND NEW WORLDS. 73 



The young l)ull moose grows his first horn (a little 

 (lug), of a cylindrical form, in his second summer, i.e., 

 when one year old. Both these and the next year's 

 growth, which are bifurcate, remain on the head through- 

 out the winter till April or May. The palmate horns of 

 succeeding years are dropped earlier, in January or 

 February — a new growth commencing in April. The 

 full development of the horn appears to be attained 

 when the animal is in its seventh year.* 



As a means of judging age, no dependence is to be 

 placed on the number of the tines, but more upon the 

 colour and perfect appearance of the antler. In an old 

 moose, past his prime, the horns have a bleached appear- 

 ance, and the tines are not fully developed round 

 the edge of the palm. It is my imjiression that when 

 moose are much distui bed, and are not allowed to " breed" 

 their horns in (juiet, contorted and undersized horns 

 most frequently occur. Douljle and even treble palms, 



* Old Winckell, perliaps the best uutliority aiiioii",' tlie Germans oii 

 sporting' zoolo<,'y, says on this point : — " lu the first year of lile, and indeed 

 earlier than the red deer, the elk calf shows knohhy projections on that 

 part of the head where the horns grow, which hy Sejiteniher attain an inch 

 in heij,'ht. In the sprini^' of the second year the true knolis appear, forming 

 single points i^even or eight inches in length. These are covered with 

 dark brown velvet. In the latter part of April, or beginning of May in 

 the year following, these arc cast, and are replaced t'itlier liy longer single 

 points or by forked antlers, according to which the young ell\ is culled 

 either ' spiesaer' or 'gabler.' These again are cast early in A])ril, aiul are 

 reidaced by heavier forks, or by shorter but six-pointed antlers, when the 

 elk obtains the designation of 'geringer hirsch.' In the fifth year the horns 

 are cast in March, and the new ones lose their velvet also at a correspond- 

 ingly earlier date. These are cast in February of the sixth year. I sliould 

 have previously remarked that they had already develoi)ed into branches, 

 which form they retain from henceforth, the number of points on the broad 

 shovel-shaped branches increasing with age. From this time forth the elk 

 casts in December and January, the complete reproduction of the great 

 antlers, which attain a weight of from ;il) to 40 lb., not being completeil 

 till June. The antlers of the young are light, those of the full-grown elk 

 are dark brown." -15. W. 



