File:The polar and tropical worlds - a description of man and nature in the polar and equatorial regions of the globe (1874) (14591046979).jpg

Identifier: polartropicalwor00hartuoft (find matches)
Title: The polar and tropical worlds : a description of man and nature in the polar and equatorial regions of the globe
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Hartwig, G. (Georg), 1813-1880 Guernsey, Alfred Hudson, 1824-1902
Subjects: Arctic peoples Natural history Antarctica Arctic regions Tropics
Publisher: Guelph, Ont. : J.W. Lyon
Contributing Library: Gerstein - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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superior to the stag, but itcan not boast of an elegant shape, the head being disproportionately large, theneck short and thick, and its immense horns, which sometimes weigh near fiftypounds, each dilating almost immediately from the base into a broad palmatedform; wliile its long legs, high shoulders, and heavy upper lip hanging verymuch over the lower, give it an nncoutli appearance. The color of the elk is adark grayish-brown, but much jtalcr on the legs and beneath the tail. We owe the first descripti-^n of this gigantic deer to Julius Ca-sar, in whosetime it was still a common inhabitant of the German forests. But the conquer-or of Gaul can hardly have seen it himself, or he would not have ascribed to ita single horn, placed in the middle of the forehead, or said that both sexes arepei-fectly alike, for the female is smaller and lias no antlers. At present theelk is wtill found in the swam((y forests of East Prussia, Lithuania, and Po- II ARCTIC LAND QUADRUPEDS AND BIRDS. u&
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ELKS 40 THE POLAR WORLD. fl laiul^ Imt it cliietly rcsi<lcs in the more northorn woods of Russia, Siberia,and America. It is a mild and liarmless animal, principally supporting itselfby browsing the bouglis of willows, asps, service-trees, and other soft spe-cies of wood. It does not, like the reindeer, seek a refuge against the at-tacks of the gad-flies, by wandering to the coasts of the sea, or retreating tothe bare mountains, where it would soon perish for the want of adequate food,but plunges up to the nose into the next river, where it finds, moreover, a spe-cies of water-grass (Festuca Jiaitans) which it likes to feed upon. Thoughnaturally mild and harmless, it displays a high degree of courage, and even fe-rocity when suddenly attacked ; defending itself with great vigor, not only withits liorns, but also by striking violently with its fore feet, in the use of whichit is ))articularly dexterous. It is generally caught in traps, as it is extremelyshy and watchful, and finds a

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