136 NATURAL HISTORY 



travellers say, is esteemed a dainty dish in 

 North America, It is very reasonable to 

 suppose that this creature supports itself 

 chiefly by browsing of trees, and by wading^ 

 after water plants ; towards which way of 

 livelihood the length of legs and great lip 

 must contribute much. I have read some* 

 where that it delights in eating the npnphcea^ 

 or water-lily. From the fore-feet to the 

 belly behind the shoulder it measured three 

 feet and eight inches ; the length of the 

 legs before and behind consisted a great 

 deal in the tibia, which was strangely long ; 

 but, in my haste to get out of the stench, 

 I forgot to measure that joint exactly. Its 

 scut seemed to be about an inch long ; the 

 colour was a grizzly black ; the mane about 

 four inches long ; the fore-hoofs were up- 

 right and shapely, the hind flat and splayed. 

 The Spring before it was only two years old, 

 so that most probably it was not then come 

 to its growth. What a vast tall beast must 

 a full grown stag be 1 I have been told some 

 arrive at ten feet and a half! This poor 

 creature had at first a female companion of 



