WAPITI ELK. 141 



On the introduction of the reindeer in the High- 

 lands of Scotland, the following judicious observations 

 have been made by Mr. Bennett* : — "Several attempts 

 have been made of late years, all which, if we mistake 

 not, have failed; since one of the most striking pecu- 

 liarities in their habits appears to have been lost sight 

 of : we allude to their migratory disposition, for which 

 no allowance has been made : those which have been 

 introduced, appear to have been turned out into a park 

 or inclosed ground, in which their natural food, the 

 lichen, was supposed to be sufficiently abundant, and 

 there left to take their chance." We believe, that, of 

 all the attempts to acclimate the reindeer^ none has 

 been more successful than that made at the gardens of 

 the Society, where a single female, of the white variety 

 (European or American.^), has lived through two 

 winters, without suffering any apparent inconvenience ; 

 her food has been uniformly dry provender." 



The Wapiti Elk. 



Cervus Strongyloceros, Rich. North. Zool. i. 251. 



Many of our readers may probably recollect the exhi- 

 bition, at the Egptian Hall, of several of these stately 

 looking animals, several years ago, where they excited 

 universal curiosity in the town, from the enormous size 

 of their antlers. They were brought from the plains 

 of the Missouri, and were finally turned out into some 

 of the royal private parks, where it is said they have 

 propagated, although great care is required for their 

 preservation. They live^ in their native state, in 

 small families of six or seven individuals. They 

 would seem to fight with great fury ; since two males 

 were found, near Edmonton House, lying dead, with 

 their horns locked into each other : it is said, also, that 

 the moose and rein deer are occasionally found dead 

 under similar circumstances. The horns acquire an 

 immense size; and major Smith observes, that at one 



, * Zool. Card, ix.251. 



