GROUPINGS. 



I HAVE already shown that there are many means which we 

 might adopt for classifying the deer of our country, but none 

 which would be completely satisfactory. If we make a class of 

 those whose antlers are palmated, and another of those whose 

 antlers are cylindrical, we should find ourselves in harmony with 

 another mode of classification, for on all the former, the metatar- 

 sal gland is wanting, while it is present on all those which have 

 cylindrical antlers. In this first class, I repeat, we include the 

 largest and the smallest of the species, that is, the moose and the 

 Acapulco deer, and it would also embrace the reindeer. Al- 

 though the palmatation is less pronounced on the smallest species, 

 it is very distinct on the upper part of the antlers of the adult, 

 being flattened out, almost like a knife blade. 



THE GENITALS. 



The genital organs afford us another and very distinct mode of 

 classification, as will be seen by a more particular description of 

 them. On all, the scrotum is moderately pendent, more so than 

 that of the horse, but less so than that of the bull, the ram, or the 

 goat, and it is much less in size than on either of these. It en- 

 larges very decidedly during the rut. 



On the Moose the theca extends up the abdomen about half 

 way to the umbilicus and terminates with a simple orifice without 

 a prepuce. The same description answers for the Caribou as well. 



On the Elk, the theca . extends up the abdomen appreciably 

 further than on either of the others, full}^ two thirds of the way 

 or more to the umbilicus, much like that of the bull, terminating 

 also without a prepuce, but at times during the rut the limp 

 male organ is partially exposed, which might be mistaken by a 

 casual observer for a very conspicuous prepuce. On neither is 

 there a tnft of long hairs at the orifice of the theca as is seen on 

 the bull. In these characteristics, I find the European elk to 

 correspond with our moose, the reindeer of Lapland to agree 

 with our caribou, and the red deer of Europe to be like our 

 wapiti. 



