1855.] 343 



thick during the night. Then tbey leave and return to the mountains, where 

 they select their fall and winter haunts, roaming about and subsisting on the 

 bark of small trees, which tbey peel or gnaw off, and the twigs of the fir tree 

 and other woods. When the deep snows fall, they select a spot well adapted to 

 their wants, and commence to browse and peel more closely. This is called 

 1 yarding,' and as the snow deepens and crusts form on its surface, they peel and 

 break down bushes and browse closely, in preference to wallowing through the 

 snow in search of choicer food. A ' moose yard ' frequently occupies about one 

 hundred acres, more or less, but the latter few weeks of the season is frequently 

 spent on an area of ten acres, or less. The old males and females never 'yard ' 

 together, but sometimes young bulls and cows are found occupying the same 

 1 yard.' Still they are seldom found in close company. Cows and tbeir calves 

 frequently yard together, the calves remaining with the mother one year. The 

 oldest buils invariably yard alone, choosing some lonely knoll or mountain 

 peak, where they reside in utter solitude. Indeed, as age increases, the moose 

 become more solitary in their habits, avoiding the common resorts of other 

 moose, and frequenting some lone little pond or stream. The moose of two and 

 three years old, also, often yard alone, but the males between the ages of three 

 and ten years are very gregarious. I have known as many as nine in one yard. 

 When hunted at this time (deep snow) they go off in Indian file, each moose 

 stepping accurately in the footprints of its predecessor, so that any but an ex- 

 perienced hunter would scarcely suppose that more than one moose had passed, 

 when perhaps six or seven had gone in reality. Still, when they are closely 

 pursued, and the one that is first becomes tired, (in consequence of having to 

 break the way through the snow,) that one turns out a very little, and (the rest 

 having passed him) brings up the rear. So they change in rotation, the males 

 showing the most chivalrous spirit in aiding the females or the weaker ones. 

 Sometimes, too, they break their order of going in awkwardly passing a tree, 

 when hard pressed, some going on each side, but instantly falling into line 

 again when the obstacle is passed. At this season the ' spikehorn,' or two-year- 

 old bull, is noted as affording the longest and most difficult chase, and the 

 oldest bulls for making the most gallant fight. In fact, they often refuse to run 

 at all. 



A ' moose-yard ' presents a strange sight to those not familiar with it, with 

 its broken bushes and peeled trees ; for sometimes, when the snow is very deep 

 and difficult for them to get through, they break down and browse closely the 

 tops of young fir trees five or six feet from the ground, and where they are two 

 or three inches in diameter. They also reach up and peel and browse ten or 

 twelve feet high above the ground, raising the fore legs and allowing the weight 

 of the body to rest on the hind ones. Although so fond of browsing the fir, 

 they never eat the bark of it, yet they seldom kill any other tree, as they gene- 

 rally peel only one side of those they use for food ; tbey also break down the 

 bushes in one direction, pulling them towards them ; so that the direction the 

 moose has taken is known to the hunter by this sign, when he first approaches 

 a ' yard.' The young fir-trees are killed by the bulls rubbing their heads against 

 them, instinct teaching them in that manner to apply the balsam of fir (which 

 possesses great healing: powers) to the sore and tender places caused by the 

 loosening and falling off of the horns. 



The favorite winter food of the moose is the twigs of the fir tree and the bark 

 of the mountain ash, and of a species of dwarf maple, and the young twigs of 

 the ' moosewood.' 



During the summer the females are often seen accompanied by their two 

 calves, but in the winter there is seldom more than one calf found with each 

 cow. From this I infer that the young of the moose are subject to many dan- 

 gers. The cow gives an abundance of milk, and the growth of the moose is 

 very rapid for the first three years It possesses immense strength and is capable 

 of enduring long continued exertion and very great fatigue. It consumes very 

 little food in proportion to its size, and, during the winter, seldom drinks, 

 quenching its thirst with snow. Yet it very often chooses its yarding place near 



