128 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 
ones on the face and legs, are crinkled, and all are tipped with 
black, wherever the coat is colored, except on the caribou, where 
this law seems reversed. Even the very white hairs, which are 
always found sparsely scattered through the blackest Moose, are 
provided with a jet black tip, so fine, that the naked eye will 
scarcely discern it, though it may be from two to three lines in 
length. Below this is a tawny annular section of the same ex- 
tent; below this, again, the hairs are as white as snow. All of 
the black hairs on the Moose have the russet or tawny section of 
- two or three lines in extent, about four lines below the sharp, 
black points, and are white on their lower parts, for from one 
quarter to one eighth their length. The black hairs are more 
elastic than the white ones, and the lower white portions of the 
black hairs are more brittle than the black portions, so that the 
coloring matter seems to add to the strength and elasticity of the 
hairs. 
On the Caribou, the hairs are much shorter than on the moose, 
but they are very dense and compact, forming a remarkably 
warm covering for winter ; and their skins are highly prized by 
the northern natives, who use them for garments. The hairs are 
more uniform in color throughout their length, than on any of 
the other species. As before stated, they are not like the others, 
tipped with black, while they are lighter near the body. On 
the Caribou, where the white generally prevails, the hairs are 
white the whole length, and where the dark color prevails, they 
are dark colored the whole length. 
On our Elk the hairs are longer, and very abundant. They 
are exceedingly light, and excellent non-conductors of heat. 
They are more crinkled than on any of the others, and although 
less brittle than on the caribou, they are quite non-elastic. 
When used as robes, they are very warm and comfortable for 
covering. When used as a cushion, for riding, or in camp for 
a bed, the hairs break down under the pressure, and their beauty 
and even comfort are spoiled. The surface of the hairs appears 
very smooth, but under the microscope the appearance of minute 
scales is disclosed. In form, the hairs on Wapiti for one fourth 
of their outer length taper, terminating with an exceedingly fine 
point, more difficult to be seen than the point of a fine needle. 
Below this the diameter is nearly uniform till near the end, 
where they contract to the root, the neck of which is about one 
eighth the largest diameter of the hair, then the root swells out 
to double the size of the neck and terminates in a semi-spherical 
