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THE ELK. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Horns upriglir, folid, branched, annually deciduous, 



Eiglu cutting teeth in the lower jaw ; none in the upper. Pennant. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &c. 



Deer with nearly ftemlefs palmated horns, and commonly a guttural caruncle. 

 Elk. Pennant , ^ladr. p. gj. 



E' Elan Bitf. 12. 79. tal/. 7, 8. 



THE Elk is the largefl fpecies of the Deer kind, and is in fizc but 

 little inferior to a horfc. It is common to both continents, but in 

 America and fome of the coldeft parts of Afia it attains to a ftill larger 

 fize than in Europe, Its principal mark of diftinftion from the other fpe- 

 cies of its genus is the fliape or manner of growth of the horns, which 

 from a very fhort ftem or lower part immediately expand into a great 

 width, and run into feveral fharp-pointed proceflcs externally. The number 

 of thefe procefles differs according to the age of the animal, and is mod 

 confiderable in thofe of advanced life. It is an animal peculiarly adapted 

 by nature to cold climates. In Europe it is found in the northern regions, and 

 more particularly in the northern parts of Sweden. In America it is known 

 by the name of the Moofe-Deer. Moft authors in their defcriptions of the 

 No. I. F Elk, 



