68o 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



o-oino- into the water, it escapes the attacks of the troublesome flies, 

 and avoids injuring Its antlers, which at this time are growing, and 

 are very tender. 



Fig. 1. The Moose (Alee Americanus). 



The antlers are the most curious things, perhaps, in the structure 

 of these animals. As already stated, they are found only on the 

 males. They are shed annually, in the month of December; in some 

 cases, however, they are carried till the following March. The first 

 year the antlers are merely short knobs ; the second year they are 

 four or five inches long, with a single point ; the third year about 

 nine inches long ; the fourth year they become broad with a brow- 

 antler and several points, and about the fifth year they reach their 

 maximum size. It is a matter of wonder that the enormous horns of 

 these animals grow in about two months ! They begin to appear 

 about the latter part of March, or eai'ly in April, and in June or July 

 they are full-grown for the season. While growing, they are invested 

 with a skin which is covered with a sort of velvet-like pile ; and this 

 skin is nourished by a system of blood-vessels. When they have 

 attained their full growth for the season, the skin peels off, and leaves 

 the antlers at first perfectly white, but exposure soon turns them 

 brown. 



The female produces her young in May ; at the first birth there is 



