HEADS AND HORNS 



177 



of large antlers in the museums, or of those which 

 are in private possession and available for inspec- 

 tion. Heads which are described as exceeding 

 these dimensions, but which are not to be found 

 if one wishes to subject them to the tape-measure 

 test, may be dismissed as apocryphal. If one 

 found a diamond excelling the Koh-i-noor he 

 would not throw it into an ash barrel, and if one 

 found moose antlers spreading eight or ten feet 

 he would hardly leave them for the hedgehogs to 

 devour in the woods. 



In view of the wide variety observable in antler 

 formation and development, and the "freak" ant- 

 lers everywhere found, it is impossible to define 

 certain types as characteristic of certain localities 

 without admitting exceptions in such numbers 

 that the types are of little value or importance. 



The largest and finest moose-heads which the 

 world has seen have come from the Kenai Peninsula 

 of Alaska. In general characteristics the Alaska 

 antlers are massive and broadly palmate, with a 

 large number of points. They are often marked 

 by a secondary palmation of the brow prongs at 

 right angles to the main palmation. 



The moose-head showing the widest spread of 



antlers yet secured was taken on the Kenai Penin- 

 12 



