CONGENERS. 
Our study of the American Deer would be quite incomplete, 
were we to omit a comparison of them with European species 
and see whether we there find their analogies. I have pursued 
this inquiry with some industry, and find nothing there, bearing 
such a similitude to our mule deer, our black-tailed deer, our 
Virginia deer, or our Acapulco deer, as to suggest a common 
origin, at least in modern times, even in a geological sense. In 
the form of the antlers there is nothing which suggests a near 
relationship, although all are composed of the same material, and 
are grown in the same way, and all are more or less branched, 
characteristics which distinguish the Cervide from all other rumi- 
nants. 
In other parts of the world we find many species of deer with 
important peculiarities, which are entirely wanting in all our 
species. We have others, however, which are so nearly like 
European species that we feel constrained to declare that there is 
no specific difference between them. 
THE MOOSE AND THE ELK. 
The first of these which demand our attention are the Ameri- 
can Moose and the European Elk. These are not alike abso- 
lutely, nor are the individuals composing the distinct varieties in 
each country; but the distinctions, whatever they are, must be 
determined by the average of large numbers in each country, 
when, we may fairly conclude, they arise from the different con- 
ditions in which they have lived, during the many ages they 
have been separated by impassable physical barriers. I present 
an illustration of the Scandinavian Elk, and the reader can read- 
ily compare with him the Moose at page 68. 
The American Moose is larger in size and darker in color than 
the European Elk. These distinctions have been recognized ever 
since the American variety was first discovered by those familiar 
with the other variety. This is only ascertained by observing a 
large number, for individuals may be found which, if considered 
by themselves, would contradict the conclusion. There is, no 
