Lewis: September 14, 1804
On September 14, 1804, the expedition documented two notable animals from the plains. Captain Clark killed a male pronghorn ("wild goat") weighing 65 pounds, and Lewis recorded its detailed measurements, noting its large, prominent, deep sea-green eyes. Shields killed a prairie hare weighing about 6¼ pounds, which Lewis described in extensive detail, including its coloration, oversized flexible ears, prominent eyes, fine fur, and remarkable speed and agility. Lewis noted the hare's 21-foot leaps, its preference for open plains, and that it never burrows or shelters underground when pursued.
September 14th 1804 this day Capt. Clark killed a male wild goat so calledit’s
weight 65 lbs.
F I
length from point of nose to point of tail 4 9
hight to the top of the wethers 3 –
do. behind 3 –
girth of the brest 3 1
girth of the neck close to the shoulders 2 2
do. near the head 1 7
Eye deep sea green, large percing and reather prominent, & at or near
the root of the horn within one 1/4 inches
—
Sept. 14th 1804. Shields killed a hare of the prarie, weight six pounds
and 1/4
F. I.
Length from point of hind to extremity fore feet 2 11
hight when standing erect 1 1 3/4
length from nose to tale 2 1
girth of body 1 2 3/4
length of tale
length of the year 5 1/2
width of do. do. 3 1/8
from the extremity of the hip to the toe of the hind foot 1 3 1/2
the eye is large and prominent the sight is circular, deep sea green, and
occupyes one third of the width of the eye the remaining two thirds is a
ring of a bright yellowish silver colour. the years ar placed at the upper
part of the head and very near to each other, the years are very flexable,
the anamall moves them with great ease and quickness and can contrat and
foald them on his back or delate them at pleasurethe front outer
foald of the year is a redis brown, the inner foalds or those which ly
together when the years are thrown back and wich occupy two thirds of the
width of the year is of a clear white colour except one inch at the tip of
the year which is black, the hinder foald is of a light greythe
head back sholders and outer part of the thighs are of a ledcoloured grey
the sides as they approache the belly grow lighter becomeing gradually
more white the belly and brest are white with a shad of lead colourthe
furr is long and finethe tale is white round and blounty pointed
the furr on it is long and extreemly fine and soft when it runs it carry’s
it’s tale strait behind the direction of the bodythe body is much
smaller and more length than the rabbit in proportion to it’s heightthe
teeth are like those of the hair or rabbit as is it’s upper lip splitit’s
food is grass or herbsit resorts the open plains, is extreemly
fleet and never burrows or takes shelter in the ground when pursued, I
measured the leaps of one which I suprised in the plains on the 17th Inst.
and found them 21 feet the ground was a little decending they apear to run
with more ease and to bound with greater agility than any anamall I ever
saw. this anamal is usually single seldom associating in any considerable
numbers.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
September 14th, 1804. Today Capt. Clark killed a male wild goat (so called). Its weight: 65 lbs.
Feet/Inches:
Length from point of nose to point of tail: 4 ft 9 in
Height to the top of the withers: 3 ft
Same behind: 3 ft
Girth of the breast: 3 ft 1 in
Girth of the neck close to the shoulders: 2 ft 2 in
Same near the head: 1 ft 7 in
Eye deep sea green, large, piercing and rather prominent, and at or near the root of the horn within 1 1/4 inches.
Sept. 14th, 1804. Shields killed a hare of the prairie, weight six and 1/4 pounds.
Feet/Inches:
Length from point of hind to extremity of fore feet: 2 ft 11 in
Height when standing erect: 1 ft 1 3/4 in
Length from nose to tail: 2 ft 1 in
Girth of body: 1 ft 2 3/4 in
Length of tail:
Length of the ear: 5 1/2 in
Width of the same: 3 1/8 in
From the extremity of the hip to the toe of the hind foot: 1 ft 3 1/2 in
The eye is large and prominent. The sight is circular, deep sea green, and occupies one third of the width of the eye. The remaining two thirds is a ring of a bright yellowish silver color. The ears are placed at the upper part of the head and very near to each other. The ears are very flexible; the animal moves them with great ease and quickness and can contract and fold them on his back or extend them at pleasure. The front outer fold of the ear is a reddish brown; the inner folds, or those which lie together when the ears are thrown back and which occupy two thirds of the width of the ear, are of a clear white color except one inch at the tip of the ear, which is black. The hinder fold is of a light grey. The head, back, shoulders, and outer part of the thighs are of a lead-colored grey. The sides, as they approach the belly, grow lighter, becoming gradually more white. The belly and breast are white with a shade of lead color. The fur is long and fine. The tail is white, round, and bluntly pointed; the fur on it is long and extremely fine and soft. When it runs, it carries its tail straight behind in the direction of the body. The body is much smaller and longer than the rabbit in proportion to its height. The teeth are like those of the hare or rabbit, as is its upper lip, split. Its food is grass or herbs. It frequents the open plains, is extremely fleet, and never burrows or takes shelter in the ground when pursued. I measured the leaps of one which I surprised in the plains on the 17th instant and found them 21 feet; the ground was a little descending. They appear to run with more ease and to bound with greater agility than any animal I ever saw. This animal is usually single, seldom associating in any considerable numbers.
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