NORTH AMERICAN RUMINANTS 
The Elk, or Wapiti Deer, is one of the largest and most stately 
of the Deer tribe, with very large, branching antlers and a mag- 
nificent pose. This animal formerly ranged eastward 
nearly or quite to the Atlantic coast of the Middle 
States, but now it practically is extinct east of the 
Rocky Mountains and is becoming greatly reduced in numbers 
throughout the western natural parks and valleys, where not 
many years ago it roamed in large bands. This type of Deer 
formerly extended southward to the northern border of Mexico, 
occupying isolated areas wherever the conditions of the country 
favored its existence. The eastern form probably differed con- 
siderably from the animal of the plains and Rocky Mountain 
region, but how and to what extent it was distinct will never be 
determined, owing to the entire absence from our museums of 
specimens from the eastern part of the United States. 
A darker western form, known as the Roosevelt Elk, is still 
found in small numbers in the coast ranges of Oregon, Washing- 
ton and British Columbia. It is much darker in color, 
and differs somewhat in the character of the antlers 
from the Rocky Mountain form. A southern form, 
almost extinct, has been described recently from Arizona, which 
differs from the others in color and in the form of the antlers. 
Of the Rocky Mountain Wapiti, the Museum has several poor 
mounted specimens, a mounted skeleton and several specimens in 
the study collection, mostly animals which had been in captivity 
and which have been received from zodlogical gardens. Of the 
Roosevelt Elk, the Museum recently has purchased a series of 
five specimens for mounting as a group, but the Arizona form is 
represented by a single skull. It is very desirable that the 
mounted specimens should be replaced by better examples, and 
the Arizona Elk obtained, if possible. 
The Moose, perhaps the largest of the Deer tribe, being heavier 
bodied than the Elk, but with less branching though much 
broader antlers, is found from northern New England, 
northern Minnesota and Montana northward nearly 
to the Arctic regions. The Moose of the eastern districts is 
already represented in the Museum by a group of specimens, ob- 
Elk, or 
Wapiti. 
Roosevelt 
Elk. 
Moose. 
Io 
