306 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



The flesh of the Moose is extremely sweet and nourishing. The 

 Indians say that they can travel three times as far after a meal of this 

 animal, as after any other food. The tongue is excellent, but the 

 nose is perfect marrow, and esteemed the greatest delicacy in all 

 Canada. 



Greater Stag or Elk. Under the name of Stag, Pennant has given 

 an account of this animal, which somewhat resembles the Stag of 

 Europe ; though the materials whereof the ingenious naturalist com- 

 posed its history were rather slender. 



The early travellers in America mention this Deer, and call it a 

 Stag. Kalm says that an Indian living in 1748 had killed many Stags 

 on the spot where Philadelphia now stands.* 



By what means this animal obtained the name of Elk, we are at 

 present unable to determine ; and it would be of no importance if the 

 point were ascertained. It certainly was an improper appellation ; 

 but in compliance to long-standing custom, we shall retain it. 



The Elk has an oblique slit or opening under the inner angle of 

 each eye externally, of near an inch in length; which is said to com- 

 municate with the nostril. A like opening in the Cervine Antelope, 

 A. bubalis, is noticed by Sparrman, and is supposed by him to answer 

 the purpose of facilitating free respiration. The female has no horns. 

 The males drop their horns annually in March, then leaving a pith 

 about four inches in length, which is soon covered and protected by a 

 substance resembling velvet. In eight weeks the horns begin to grow 

 again ; they are not palmated ; the antlers are round and pointed ; the 

 lowermost antler forms a curve downward over each eye, to which 

 it appears a defence. 



The rutting season is from the 20th. September, to the 1st. of Oc- 

 tober. The female is gravid about eight months, and generally 

 brings forth one, though sometimes she has twins. 



The hoofs of the Elk are very much cloven ; and like the Moose 

 and Rein Deer he makes a great clattering with them in travelling. 

 Though his gait is a trot, yet he is very fleet. The flesh is much es- 

 teemed, and the tongue is accounted delicious. 



This species was seen by Lewis and Clark, in their route to and 

 from the Pacific Ocean, in immense numbers, often herding in com-' 

 mon with the Antelopes, Deer and Bisons. In describing the ani- 

 mals found to the westward of the Rocky Mountains, they say : 



" The Elk is of the same species with that which inhabits much 

 the greatest part of North America. They are common to every 

 part of this country, as well the timbered lands as the plains, but 

 are much more abundant in the former than in the latter. In the 

 month of March we discovered several which had not cast their 

 horns, and others where the new horns had grown to the length of 

 six inches. The latter were in much the better order, and hence 

 we draw the inference, that the leanest Elk retain their horns the 

 longest."f 



The above travellers killed a male Elk which measured five feet 

 three inches from the point of the hoof to the top of the shoulder.^ 



The Common Deer is too well known to require a description. 

 They appear to be found over the chief part of North America; and 

 in the autumn and winter are quite common in the markets of Phila- 

 delphia. Their numbers decrease as population gains ground. In 



» Kalm, vol. i, p. 336. t History of the Expedition, vol. ii, p. 167. 



