TRAITS AND HABITS OF THE ELK 313 



not known to what age he attained. In conclusion 

 his former owner wrote: "It seemed to me that 

 this strong animal was fully conscious of his 

 strength, but never misused it." 



Alfred Edmund Brehm, the German zoologist, 

 describes his experience with a captive elk. The 

 animal was kept in an enclosure separated from a 

 garden by a wall two meters (about 6}^ feet) in 

 height. When he wished to visit the garden the 

 elk would crouch on his haunches beside the wall, 

 put his forefeet on the top, and with slight effort 

 throw himself over. He never sought to escape 

 beyond the garden.'^ 



Martenson, ubi supra, pp. 72-78. 

 *7 TierlebeUf 2d edition (Leipsic, 1877), vol. iii., p. 115. 



