DEER.-MOOSE.

This animal is said to be the tallest in the world, the top of its head being about seventeen feet from the ground, and its body about ten. His size is that of the horse; and, in shape, he resembles the camel. From the manner in which he stands, his fore legs have the appearance of being much longer than his hind legs; yet this is not so. His mouth is quite small. His hoofs, which are cleft, resemble those of the ox. The motions of the head and neck are extremely graceful and curious, possessing the flexibility and usefulness of the neck of the swan and peacock. Its eye is large, prominent, and exceedingly quick at catching objects at a great distance; it is well defended by the brow, and it can see without turning the head, behind and below it. The ears are well formed to receive sounds; and are constantly bent forward. The tongue has very peculiar properties, and can be so tapered as to enter the ring of a very small key. Its taste and smell are very acute and delicate, especially in regard to the artificial food given it. It can raise the little dapillæ at pleasure, for the tongue at times is perfectly smooth, and at others exceedingly rough. It is a small feeder, but drinks about eight or ten quarts of milk in the day. The upper lip is longer than the lower one, which assists the tongue in drawing in boughs; but when grinding its food it is contracted. It has no teeth or nippers in the upper jaw, and the outside ones are divided to the socket; it lies down when it chews the cud.

His defence, as that of the horse, and other hoofed animals, consists in kicks; and his hinder limbs are so light, and his blows are so rapid, that the eye cannot follow them. They are sufficient for his defence against the lion. He never employs his horns in resisting any attack. The Giraffes, male and female, resemble each other in their exterior, in their youth. Their obtuse horns are then terminated by a knot of long hair: the female preserves this peculiarity for some time, but the male loses it at the age of three years. The hide, which is at first of a light red, becomes of a deeper color as the animal advances in age, and is at length of a yellow brown in the female, and of a brown approaching to black in the male. By this difference of color, the male may be distinguished from the female, at a distance.

DEER. Animals of the deer kind, have a head which is elongated, but not very large. The ears are large and pointed, the neck is of mod erate length, the body plump, and the limbs slender, though strongly knit. The hair is very similar in color throughout the species of this genus, and is dry and harsh. The young deer or fawns, are mostly spotted with white, upon a brownish yellow ground. The males of this genus are all provided with horns, which are variously branched. The species which we shall notice, are the Moose, American Elk, Rein Deer, and the Virginia or common Deer.

The MOOSE is the largest of the deer kind, and often exceeds the largest horse in size and bulk. In his form, he is not as handsome, nor are his motions as graceful as those of the other species of deer. His head is large, and his horns, which sometimes exceed fifty pounds in weight, are unwieldy. In the summer, the moose frequents swampy or low grounds, near the margin of lakes and rivers, through which he delights to swim, as it frees him for a time from the annoyance of insects. During the winter, in families of fifteen or twenty, they seek

AMERICAN ELK.-REIN DEER.

the depths of the forest, for shelter and food. Their flesh, though generally coarser and tougher than other venison, is esteemed excellent food, and the Indians, hunters, and travellers, all declare, that they can withstand more fatigue, while fed on this meat, than when using any other. The skin of the moose is of great value to the Indians, who use it for tent covers, clothing, &c. This animal inhabits the northern parts of both continents. In Europe, it is called the Elk. Its northern range in America is not ascertained. It has been found as far north as the country has been explored. It was formerly seen in the New England States; but is now rare, even as far south as the state of Maine.

The AMERICAN ELK. This animal was, for a long time, considered as a mere variety of the moose, if not identically the same; but more recent investigation has corrected the mistake, and shown, that though inferior in size to the moose, in beauty of form, grace, and agility of movement, and other attributes of its kind, it is not excelled by any deer of the Old and the New World. The hair of the elk in autumn, is of a blueish grey color; during winter, it continues of a dark grey, and at the approach of spring, it assumes a reddish or bright brown color, which is permanent throughout the summer. Its horns often rise to the height of four or five feet. The elk is shy and retiring. When surprised by the hunter, he gazes for a moment intensely upon the object of his fear, and then throwing back his lofty horns upon his neck, he flies with the velocity of the race horse. The flesh of the elk is highly esteemed by the Indians, and hunters, as food; and the hide is converted to the purpose of dress, &c. The elk is occasionally found in the remote and thinly settled parts of Pennsylvania; but it is only in the western wilds, where exists a luxuriant vegetation, and where the solitude is seldom interrupted, that they are seen in considerable numbers,

REIN DEER. The height of this animal is generally about three feet and a half, and his length about five feet and a half. His color is commonly brown, with white under the belly. His horns are long, slender, and branching.

This animal is of great value in the northern parts of both continents, and constitutes a very considerable part of the subsistence of the tribes inhabiting the region it frequents. In the northern parts of Asia and Europe, the rein deer has been domesticated for a long time; and with the exception of the dog is the only beast of draught or burthen possessed by the natives. The North American Indians, however, have never profited by the docility of the animal to aid them in transporting their families or property, though they annually destroy great numbers of them, for the sake of their flesh, hides, horns, &c.

To the Laplander they are of great importance, supplying the place of the horse, cow, sheep, and goat. The milk is used as food, and is often converted into cheese. Of the skins, a warm clothing is made for winter, and when dressed into leather, they are converted into stockings and shoes, and light summer clothing. Harnessed to a sledge, a rein deer will draw about 300 pounds; but the Laplanders generally limit the burthen to 240 pounds.

REIN DEER.--COMMON DEER.

REIN DEER DRAWING A SLEDGE.

The trot of the rein deer is about ten miles an hour; and his power of endurance is such, that journeys of 150 miles in nineteen hours are not uncommon. There is a portrait of a reindeer in the palace of Drotningholm, (Sweden,) which is represented upon an occasion of emergency, to have drawn an officer with important despatches, the incredible distance of eight hundred English miles, in forty-eight hours. This event is stated to have happened in 1699, and the tradition adds, that the deer dropped down lifeless upon his arrival.

The number of deer belonging to a herd is from three hundred to five hundred; with these, a Laplander can do well and live in tolerable comfort. He can make in summer a sufficient quantity of cheese for the year's consumption; and during the winter season can afford to kill deer enough to supply him and his family pretty constantly with venison. With two hundred deer, a man, if his family be but small, can manage to get on. If he has but one hundred, his subsistence is very precarious, and he cannot rely entirely upon them for support. Should he have but fifty, he is no longer independent, or able to keep a separate establishment; but generally joins his small herd with that of some richer Laplander, being then considered more in the light of a menial, undertaking the laborious office of attending upon and watching the herd, bringing them home to be milked, and other similar offices, in return for the subsistence afforded him.

The VIRGINIA or COMMON DEER. This deer is the smallest American species at present known, and is found in all parts of North America, and in the northern parts of South America. Considerable varieties in size and color are presented by this species, in the extensive range of country in which it is found. The length of the common deer is from five feet to five feet and a half.

This animal has always been of great importance to the Indians

ELEPHANT.

scattered over the country, as well as to those who have settled our western wilds. Immense numbers are still found far to the west, as is evident from the vast number of hides and horns which are annually brought into the market.

ELEPHANT. "This wonderful quadruped," says Bigland, in his Natural History, "is a native of Asia and Africa, but is most numerous in the latter. In the extensive regions which lie between the river Senegal and the Cape of Good Hope, elephants abound more than in any other part of the world, and arc also less fearful of man; for the savage inhabitants of those countries, instead of attempting to subdue this powerful animal, and render him subservient to their necessities, seem only desirous of avoiding his anger. In the countries near the Cape, elephants are seen in large herds, consisting of many hundred, and in the vast regions of Monomrotana, Monocmerci, and other parts of the interior of Africa, they are probably still more numerous.

"At the Cape, the height of the animal is from 12 to 15 feet. His eyes are very small in proportion to his size, but lively, brilliant, and full of expression. His ears are very large, long and pendulous; but he can raise them with great facility, and make use of them as a fan to cool himself, and drive away the flies or insects. His hearing is remarkably fine; he delights in the sound of musical instruments, to which he is easily brought to move in cadence. His sense of smelling is equally delicate; for he is highly delighted with the scent of odoriferous herbs. In each jaw he has four grinders; one of which sometimes measures nine inches in breadth, and weighs four pounds and a half.

"The proboscis, or trunk, is a most wonderful instrument. With it, the animal can lift from the ground the smallest piece of money, select herbs and flowers, untie knots, and grasp any thing so firmly that no force can tear it from him.

Although the elephant be indisputably the strongest, as well as the largest of all quadrupeds; yet in its native woods it is neither formidable nor ferocious, but mild and peaceable in its disposition, equally fearless and inoffensive; and when tamed by man, and tutored by his instructions, the noble animal submits to the most painful drudgery, and is so attentive to the commands of his master, that a word or look is sufficient to stimulate him to extraordinary exertion.

"Of all the animals that have been subjugated by the human race, the elephant is universally allowed to be the most tractable and obedient. When treated with kindness, he testifies his gratitude by fulfilling all the desires of his keeper, caresses him with affectionate fondness, receives his commands with attention, and executes them with punctuality and zeal. He bends the knee for the accommodation of those who wish to mount upon his back, suffers himself to be harnessed, and seems to delight in the finery of his trappings. These animals are used in drawing chariots, wagons and various sorts of machines, having the strength of six horses; and they can travel near a hundred miles a day, and fifty or sixty regularly, without any violent effort."

It sometimes happens, however, that domesticated elephants make their escape to the wild herd. Warren Hastings, the governor general of India, possessed an elephant, which had been ten years absent from the rule of man. His keeper being dismissed, he was refractory to all others who attempted to control him; and at length escaped. After the long interval we have mentioned, his old keeper recognized him, and the elephant instantly submitted himself. The preceding is an exact portrait of this beautiful animal. The instrument which he carries with his trunk, is described as a cow-tail, with a silver handle, which elephants of rank bear for driving off flies.