Page:Charles Catton, Animals (1788).pdf/25



animal from which this drawing was made, was a native of Sweden, the dimenions and other particulars of which we hall firt enumerate.

The length of the head was two feet, the body three feet, and neck one; the total height was ix feet, of which the legs were three; the ears were about twelve inches long; the general colour a blackih brown brindled, ome hairs being brown, ome white, and others partaking of both colours; the lightet colour was on the neck, and upper parts of the body; the knees of the fore legs, and inner parts of the hind legs white, which extended but little on the briket; the hair univerally very coare and thick; about two inches and a half long; coniderably longer under the lower jaw, and along the upper part of the neck, reembling an upright mane, which was longet and fullet over the houlders; the tail not more than two or three inches, was nearly lot among the hair of the body; the head long; the upper jaw about the notrils very full and chumpy. We have been the more exact in the particulars of this animal, few having been een in England; we have knowledge of two only, one belonging to his Grace the Duke of Marlborough; the other now exhibited at Mr. Parkinon’s Mueum, London, from which this drawing was taken.

Of the general hitory of the Swedih Elk, the following particulars have come to hand. In walking, the Elk carries its head nearly horizontal, and when paing the thick parts of the foret, the head is o dipoed that the horns lay cloe upon the houlders; thus the inconvenience of uch wide extended antlers is much avoided. The horns of this animal are reported to grow to very urpriing dimenions; the foil horns frequently found in Ireland are uppoed to belong to the Elk, or an animal of that pecies: ome have been found extending fourteen feet; thoe to the animal here repreented, were ditant about four feet at the top; each horn having five tips, leads to uppoe the animal was about ix years old, and certainly not yet come to its full growth. The climate of Sweden in general, but of the northern parts in particular, being everely cold, nature has not only provided a thick warm fur, but has o formed the under part of the hoof, with a very harp edge, that this animal with perfect afety can pas over the moothed ice. The race is not always to the wift, nor the battle, to the trong, ele this animal would be ecure from harm; the bear and the wolf hunt it with ucces, the hape of their feet, and the lightnes of their weight, enabling them to travel the frozen now with afety; while the flight of the intimidated Elk is impeded by frequently falling through the frozen crut, which not only tops its progres, but alo wounds its heels; thus uffering from pain which is increaed by repeated diaters, it happens ere long the enemy eizes it by the throat, and the larget European animal is conquered by one, not a quarter of its ize, or weight. This animal, when defending itelf, ues not only its horns, but riing on the hind legs endeavours to plunge the fore ones into the body of its adverary.

It feeds upon herbage, prefers the apen tree, reides on uninhabited ilands, in large rivers, and on the banks of great lakes. The report of its peed is, that it will travel 300 miles a day; the fleh rather brown and coare, but good tated.