ANIMALS 



311 



These over-fed animals usually become the prey o€ 

 wolves ; for, by reason of then" great unwieldiness, 

 they cannot keep up with the herd. 



The hair or wool is spun into cloth, gloves, stock- 

 ings, and garters, which are Very strong, and look as 

 well as those made of the best sheeps* wool ; gover- 

 nor Pownall assures us, that the most luxurious fabric 

 might be made of it. The fleece of one of these ani- 

 mals has been found to weigh eight pounds^ 



Their sagacity in defending themselves against the 

 attacks of wolves is adnurable : when they scent the 

 approach of a drove of those ravenous creatures, the 

 herd casts itself into the form of a circle : the weakest 

 keep in the middle ; the strongest are ranged on the 

 outside, presenting to the enemy an impenetrable 

 front of horns : when taken by surprise, numbers are 

 sure to perish. Successful attempts have been made 

 in the western country, to domesticate the bison, by 

 catching the calves and bringing them up with the 

 common kind, in hopes of improving the breed. 



Elk* The head resembles that of the common 

 deer, and of the horse, much more than that of the 

 moose, and is pointed and handsome. The neck is 

 rather long and handsome. 



The elk has an oblique slit or opening under the 

 inner angle of each eye externally, of near an inclv 

 in length ; which is said to communicate with the 

 nostril. Something of the same kind obtains in the 

 fallow deer, supposed to be analagous to the puncta 

 lachrymalia in the human head. A like opening is 

 noticed by SpJirrman, and is supposed by him to 

 answer the purpose of facilitating free respiration, 

 in the cervine antelope. 



