TEE DEER AND ELK. 283 



3lowly grinds up between its molar teeth into a pulp. The 

 cropped grass passes into the honeycomb and paunch; the 

 manyplies serves as a straiuer for the pulp, which in the 

 fourth stomach is digested by the gastric Juice. 



The deer family {Cervidce) is represented in the United 

 States by the common Virginia deer [Cariacus Virginianus, 

 Fig. 313), the elk or wapiti {Cervus Canadensis, Fig. 314), 

 the caribou {Rangifer caribou), which is probably a variety 

 of the European reindeer (R. tarandus), and the moose 

 {Alces Americanus). The common deer ranges from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific and from Canada and British Co- 

 lumbia to Mexico; it is common about settlements and 

 near towns. The antlers differ from those of other deer 

 by bending more abruptly. Its summer coat is bay-red to 

 bufE-yellow; the winter coat is a varying leaden gray. The 

 mule deer {Cervus macrotis Say) is so called from its large 

 jars. It inhabits the northern Eocky Mountain region 

 and the Pacific coast. It is awkward and ungainly com- 

 pared with the common deer. The black-tailed deer 

 {Cervus Colunihianus) is smaller than the mule deer, and 

 is confined to the Pacific coast of the United States and 

 British Columbia. 



The elk or wapati (Pig. 314) is next in size to the moose, 

 the southern elk attaining the largest size; it weighs from 

 600 to 1000 pounds. It has been exterminated in the 

 regions east of the Mississippi, and is now only common in 

 the Eocky Mountain region, and to Oregon, Washington 

 Territory, and British Columbia. The hairs of the sum- 

 mer coat and of the early winter coat are short and pretty 

 solid, but as the season advances it becomes longer and 

 crinkled, while in winter a heavy under-coat of fur is 

 always present.* The flesh is finely flavored and uuusually 



muscles, which compresses the contents of the rumen and reticulum, 

 and drives tlie sodden fodder against the cardiac aperture of the 

 stomach, which opens and the cud is propelled into the mouth. 

 ,Huxley.) 

 * The Antelope and Deer o£ America. By J. D. Caton. 1877. 



