342 



THE OLD-WORLD ELK 



"In general it may be said that spike-horns and 

 crotch-horns drop their antlers from November to 

 March, inclusive; older elk, from November to 

 February; and those with best developed antlers, 

 from October to December."^ These dates are 

 earlier than in the case of the moose, or of the elk 

 of Scandinavia. 



In captivity the time of casting the antlers 

 shows greater variation than when the elk is in the 

 enjoyment of his freedom. An elk called "Puck'* 

 was kept in a private park near Dorpat, in Livonia, 

 Russia, until his tenth year, when he was gored to 

 death in a fight with a male red deer {Cervus 

 elaphus). The character of his antlers for each 

 year of his life, and the dates when they were 

 dropped, are given below: 



Age at Time 



Age, of Casting 



Years No, Points Antlers Cast ^'^ Antlers 



1 . . I+I . Late April, 1885 . 23 mos. 



2 . . 1+2 . Late April, 1886 . 35 " 



3 . . 2-i-2 . March 6, 1887 . 46 " 



4 . . 2+2" . Feb. 25, 1888 . 58 " 



5 . . 3+4 • Feb. 19, 1889 . 70 " 



6 . . 3+3" • Apr. 13-May 3, 1890 . 83 



7 . . 3+3 • Feb. 18-19, 1891 . 93 " 



8 . . 5+5 . Nov. 12, 1891 . 102 " 



9 . . 4+4 . Oct. 24, 1892 . 113 " 



9 Martenson, ubi supra, p. 33. 



^"Martenson gives the dates according to the Russian calendar. 

 They are here reduced to the "new style." 

 ^ ^ Heavy flat prongs. 



" Heavier than the antlers of the previous year. 



