262 ELK.

such trophies of the chase as he may have gained in
hunting, just as gamekeepers in England nail stoats,
weasels, hawks, owls, jays, etc., to the barn, which forms
their museum. An intelligent farmer in this valley
assured me he had killed two of these scarce animals
within so many weeks; and promised to shew me some
sport if I would make a hunting expedition with him,
an offer I was most reluctant to decline; but the day
of my departure from the country was at hand, and I
was compelled to push on for Christiana.

The elk prefers the forest for his abode, and seldom
leaves it for the open country. He is very timid, and
consequently very difficult to approach; and he has the
finest possible sense of hearing, seeing, and smelling,
as indeed he might be expected to have, with ears and
eyes so large, and nose so prominent; and away he goes,
crashing along through the trees of the forest in his
enormous strength, and with his large awkward body,
the instant his acute ears, or eyes, or nose give him
warning that danger is at hand.”