PARIS, October 3, 1787.
SIR,--I had-the honor of informing you, some time ago, that I had
written to some of my friends in America, desiring they would send me
such of the spoils of the moose, caribou, elk and deer, as might throw
light on that class of animals; but more particularly, to send me the
complete skeleton, skin and horns of the moose, in such condition as
that the skin might be sewed up and stuffed, on its arrival here. I am
happy to be able to present to you at this moment, the bones and skin
of a moose, the horns of another individual of the same species, the
horns of the caribou, the elk, the deer, the spiked horned buck, and
the roebuck of America. They all come from New Hampshire and
Massachusetts and were received by me yesterday. I give you their
popular names, as it rests with yourself to decide their real names.
The skin of the moose was dressed with the hair on, but a great deal of
it has come off, and the rest is ready to drop off. The horns of the
elk are remarkably small. I have certainly seen some of them which
would have weighed five or six times as much. This is the animal which
we call elk in the southern parts of America, and of which I have given
some description in the Notes on Virginia, of which I had the honor of
presenting you a copy. I really doubt whether the flat-horned elk
exists in America; and I think this may be properly classed with the
elk, the principal difference being in the horns. I have seen the daim,
the cerf, the chevreuil of Europe. But the animal we call elk, and
which may be distinguished as the round-horned elk, is very different
from them. I have never seen the brand-hirtz or cerf d'Ardennes, nor
the European elk. Could I get a sight of them, I think I should be able
to say which of them the American elk resembles most, as I am tolerably
well acquainted with that animal. I must observe also, that the horns
of the deer, which accompany these spoils, are not of the fifth or
sixth part of the weight of some that I have seen. This individual has
been of three years of age, according to our method of judging. I have
taken measures, particularly, to be furnished with large horns of our
elk and our deer, and therefore beg of you not to consider those now
sent, as furnishing a specimen of their ordinary size. I really suspect
you will find that the moose, the round-horned elk, and the American
deer, are species not existing in Europe. The moose is, perhaps, of a
new class. I wish these spoils, Sir, may have the merit of adding
anything new to the treasures of nature, which have so fortunately come
under your observation, and of which she seems to have given you the
key: they will in that case be some gratification to you, which it will
always be pleasing to me to have procured; having the honor to be, with
sentiments of the most perfect esteem and respect, Sir, your most
obedient, and most humble servant.