234 



THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



TAILS. 

 The tails of the deer have been mostly described when treat- 

 ing of the different species separately, so that now a little rep- 

 etition may become un- 

 avoidable when it be- 

 comes necessary to com- 

 pare them. 



As the tails of the 

 three largest species 

 (Figs. 8, 9, 10) most 

 resemble each other, 

 and are quite unlike 

 those of any of the 



other 



species, we 



will 



treat of them first and 

 together. The tail of 

 the Moose is longer than 

 that of either of the oth- 

 er three, and is longer 

 and larger than that of 

 its European congener. 

 Audubon and Bachman 

 give us the measure- 

 ments of two, one of 

 which was eleven and 

 one half inches, and the 

 other nine inches long. 

 Should we take these 

 for a fair average, we 

 find them much longer 

 than those of the Wa- 

 piti. Both are car- 

 ried closely depressed, 

 though that of the 

 Moose is the most util- 

 ized. The tail of our 

 Elk is never elevated, 

 and rarely moved at all, 

 whether standing at 

 ease or going at their 

 best speed. Flies or 

 mosquitoes may annoy 



