298 DIVISION I. VEKTEBRAL ANIMALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



C. ^"it'f|i(al{t■^. — The Common Deer. These l)caiitiful and interestiniT 

 animals were once the life and ornament of the forests of North America. 

 Inoflbnsive and playful, they gamboled in the sunny glades, or on the hill- 

 slopes, and by the calm, clear lakes and sparkling streams; and although 

 hunted and destroyed by the aborigines, with their rude weapons, there was 

 no perceptible diminution of their number. Their natiu'al increase more than 

 made good their loss. But on the aj)pearance of civilization all was speedily 

 changed. As forest after forest disappeared, the deer, like the poor Indians, 

 had to seek new homes ; besides, the more effective and murderous weapons 

 introduced by the whites largely increased the rate of destruction, and 

 threaten their complete annihilation at no distant day. 



The common deer is al)out five feet in length. The antlers, which are 

 confined to the male, shoot out from the top of the head, and incline back- 

 ward. They consist of two main trunks, which give out numerous j)rongs, 

 like the branches of a tree. The deer possesses keen senses, cspeeialy hearing 

 and smelling. The sight, though good, does not cijual in power the senses 

 just named. It is necessary for the hunter to approach against the wind, 

 otherwise the animal will discover him by the scent. The slightest noise 

 appears to excite its fears more than any other cause, while the siglit of 

 unaccustomed objects seems rather to arouse curiosity than produce terror. 

 The buck, however, is courageous when attacked, and will fight bravely and 

 desperately, not unfrcquently seriously wounding botli hunter and dogs. 



In the older states the deer has become very rare. There are some in 

 Massachusetts, chictiy on Cape Cod. In the most northern parts of New 

 England it is more numerous, while in the N^orth-western and Southern States 

 it is yet quite plentiful. 



Genus Alce. — The Elks. The elk is the largest of the extensive 

 family of the Cervidic, and belongs to both hemispheres. It was formerly 

 abundant in Europe, but has retired from its persecutors to the depths of tlie 

 forests which lie contiguous to the Asiatic boundary. The elk of Ceylon dif- 

 fers from the common elk in having a short, thick mane, that covers the 

 neck and throat. In height it is about five feet. It is of gregarious habit, 

 gentle and timid, but impatient of restraint, and not easily tamed. The 

 female is smaller than the male, and has no horns. 



vl. Atnericfoius. — The Sloose. This animal, now driven to the most 

 inaccessible parts of the United States, Nova Scotia, and the vast forests of 

 British America, once abounded in all parts of the North American conti- 

 nent, as far south as 4o° north latitude. ^Ve can remember when it was 

 quite numerous in the central parts of Maine, around Moosehead Lake, and 

 in the wild and picturesque region that lies between Sebec Lake and jNIount 

 Katahdiu. The moose is the largest and most powerful of the elk tribe, 



