738 A general Review of the Species of [No. 1 17. 



a great imposing animal, the largest (so far as known) of the whole 

 group ; and it would appear to exemplify a subordinate section of the 

 Stags, characterized generally by large stature, a heavier and less 

 compact build, shorter tail, and enlarged white disk surrounding it ; 

 the head borne low and horizontally, with the neck much bowed, as in a 

 Camel ; and the crown of the antlers assuming generally a different form 

 from that of the others, very seldom trifurcating (so far at least as my ex- 

 perience has gone), but the continuation of the beam usually turning 

 abruptly backward and downward, and throwing up a series of succes- 

 sively diminishing tines, all nearly in a line with each other (vide Plate, 

 fig. 4). Of a very considerable number of full grown Wapiti antlers, 

 I have seen but one pair whereof the crown decidedly trifurcated (as in 

 fig. 3) ; and have remarked that many had the second basal tine longer 

 than the first, which however is abnormal, and also that the greater 

 number had a snag (fig. 3, e,) near the origin of the two basal tines, 

 which is of rare occurrence in the European and what other species 

 I have had opportunities of examining. 



The Wapiti stands four feet and three quarters to five feet and 

 upwards high at the shoulders, with towering antlers, sometimes above 

 five feet in length, though they rarely much exceed four feet ; they 

 are often a foot round at base above the burr, and eight inches in the 

 beam ; the pair diverging more or less, but sweeping round till they 

 converge towards the extremities, as in the genus generally. An 

 unusually large male, killed by the hunters attached to the expedition 

 of Messrs. Lewis and Clark, was found " on placing it in its natural 

 erect position, to measure five feet and a quarter from point of hoof to 

 shoulder ;" but the curve of the body is probably here included, which 

 would add some inches to the alleged height of so large a creature. It 

 is certain that they do not generally attain to so much as five feet 

 high, and the female to more than four feet and a half The head of the 

 male measures fifteen inches from muzzle to base of antler ; the ears 

 nine inches ; tail four inches, or, with hair, five ; and from nose to base 

 of tail, in a specimen four feet and three quarters high, eight feet 

 ten inches. This large species (of which magnificent specimens are 

 now living in England, in the Zoological Gardens and elsewhere,) has 

 an aspect of much grandeur and stateliness, but is deficient in the 

 grace of its European relative ; being considerably more massive and 



