ELK.

Tue following account of the elk is taken from some
‘Notes and Observations in Natural History,” during a
tour in Norway, by the Rev. Alfred Charles Smith, M.A.
He says, “The elk is a most ungainly-looking animal;
long-legged, very high shouldered, large footed, with a
neck very short, and a head very large, and its upper
lip projecting, and very thick: it is the most awkward
creature imaginable, and seems scarcely to belong to
the usual elegant and light family of which it forms a
part. In size it exceeds a horse, sometimes reaching
as much as seven feet in height; its horns, though not
long, are very thick, flat, and heavy; indeed the animal
must require its thick, short neck, and strong, ugly,
large head, to support so ponderous a weight; a pair
which I brought home with me were enormously heavy;
and with these broad palmated horns the elk throws
back the snow in searching for food.

This animal is by no means numerous in Norway,
and a few years since seemed likely to be exterminated;
but the government, anxious to preserve so noble a species
of game, passed some very stringent laws for its preser-
vation, imposing a very heavy fine on those who should
violate them; and since that time it has increased con-
siderably in number. The forests of the Glommen are said
to be pecnliarly favoured by their presence; and I can bear
witness to the truth of this, from the number of heads
I saw nailed up over the farm-houses in this district; it
being a regular custom in Norway for the successful
sportsman to nail up over the door of his dwelling-house