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, fully 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 tuft 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. 
