THE DEER AND ELK. 
283 
slowly grinds up between its molar teeth into a pulp. The 
cropped grass passes into the honeycomb and paunch; the 
manyplies serves as a strainer for the pulp, which in the 
fourth stomach is digested by the gastric juice. 
The deer family (Cervidm) is represented in the United 
States by the common Virginia deer [Gariacus Virgmianus, 
Fig. 313), the elk or wapiti {Cervus Canadensis, Fig. 314), 
the caribou {Rangifer caribou), which is probably a variety 
of the European reindeer {R, tarandiis), and the moose 
{Alces Aniericamis). The common deer ranges from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific and from Canada and British Co- 
lumbia to Mexico; it is common about settlements and 
near towns. The antlers differ from those of other deer 
by bending more abruptly. Its summer coat is bay-red to 
buff-yellow; the winter coat is a varying leaden gray. The 
mule deer {Cervus 77iacrotis Say) is so called from its large 
3ars, It inhabits the northern Rocky Mountain region 
and the Pacific coast. It is awkward and ungainly com- 
pared with the common deer. The black-tailed deer 
{Cervus Columhianus) is smaller than the mule deer, and 
is confined to the Pacific coast of the United States and 
British Columbia. 
The elk or wapati (Fig. 314) is next in size to the moose, 
the southern elk attaining the largest size; it weighs from 
600 to 1000 pounds. It has been exterminated in the 
regions east of the Mississippi, and is now only common in 
the Eocky Mountain region, and to Oregon, Washington 
Territory, and British Columbia. The hairs of the sum- 
mer coat and of the early winter coat are short and pretty 
solid, but as the season advances it becomes longer and 
crinkled, while in winter a heavy under-coat of fur is 
always present.* The flesh is finely flavored and unusually 
muscles, which compresses the contents of the rumen and reticulum, 
and drives the sodden fodder against the cardiac aperture of the 
stomach, which opens and the cud is propelled into the mouth. 
(Huxley.) 
* The Antelope and Deer of America. By J. D. Caton. 1877. 
