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ALCE AMERICANUS, (JARDINE). 
THE MOOSE OR EUROPEAN ELK. 
Prof. Baird says: “It is somewhat unfortunate that the European name of 
this animal, the elk, should be applied here in America to an entirely different 
animal or deer. Much confusion has been produced in this way, and it becomes 
necessary to ascertain the nationality of an author before it is possible to know 
exactly what the word elk is intended to convey.” 
Specific Character.—Muzzle very broad, protruded, covered with hair, except 
a small moist naked spot in front of the nostrils; neck short and thick ; hair 
thick and brittle ; throat rather maned in both sexes ; hind legs have the tuft of 
hair rather above the middle of the metatarsus ; the males have palmate horns. 
The nose cavity in the skull is very large, reaching behind toa line over the 
front of the grinders ; the intermaxillaries are very long, but do not reach to the 
nasal. The nasals are very short. 
Habitat.—Northern United States northward. Still found, though scarce, 
in Northern Ontario. ; 
Average Size.— Equal to that of a large horse. 
Average Weight.—s800 to 1,000 pounds. 
Average Height.—5 feet. 
Average Length.—7 to 8 feet. 
Average Value of Skin.—In the raw $4 to $5, or 40c. per pound. 
It is generally conceded that the American moose is the same animal as the 
Swedish elk. It is certainly the largest of the deer tribe found on this continent 
and fully equals a horse in bulk. 
The males are considerably larger than the females and often weigh over a 
thousand pounds. . 
The moose varies in colour according to season and climate, some being of an 
ashy gray, others of a darker yray, and a few in the autumn of a glossy black. 
The extremities of the hair are generally brown or black, and dingy white 
towards the roots. 
The young are generally of a gray brown colour which darkens with age. 
The hair is coarse and strong and inclined to brittleness. 
The males have their necks adorned with manes of stiff hairs varying in 
length from five to ten inches. 
Two fleshy dewiaps hang from their throats and are covered with long black 
hairs. The tail is remarkable for its extreme shortness. 
The legs, head, nostrils, and ears are of enormous proportions, the body short 
and thick, the eyes small, and the upper lip elongated, thick, ponderous and 
flexible. So curiously constructed is the upper lip that it is generally described 
as being between that of a horse and a tapir. It is square in shape and appears 
to be divided on account of a deep furrow in the middle. Four pairs of strong 
muscles arising from the maxillaries allow of rapid and varied movement of the 
heavy lip. 
