THE WILDERNESS IN JUNE 265 



behind the bole of a beech he stops, scans the 

 trail ahead for some distance, then evidently 

 thinking his alarm unwarranted, turns about 

 and works slowly back quietly browsing on the 

 succulent stems of ash and moosewood. 



As he is not more than fifty yards distant I 

 can see him distinctly, his wariness evident in 

 ever}^ movement. Quickly cropping a mouthful 

 of leaves, he raises his head and cautiously scans 

 the forest, his ears constantly turning to catch 

 the slightest sound. It is evident that a life 

 amid constant peril has taught him unceasing 

 vigilance. He is a large specimen with half- 

 grown antlers in full velvet, rising straight above 

 the shapely head like blunt sticks, giving little 

 promise of the fine, wide-spreading, well polished 

 weapons with which he will go forth to battle 

 in the early fall. After watching him intently for 

 some time, a careless movement on my part 

 catches his quick eye, up goes the white flag and 

 away he bounds, clearing a spruce top and sev- 

 eral fallen trees with an ease that would be 

 quite the envy of a professional hurdler. That 

 he saw rather than scented me is evident from 

 his failure to blow. 



As the trail crosses the height of land, large 

 tracks, much like those of a cow, are seen, but 

 larger and more pointed, and it is evident that 

 a moose has recently passed this way. 



In a sharp angle of the pathway an Ovenbird 

 springs up almost at my feet and flutters silently 

 away after the manner of a nesting bird. A 

 brief search reveals a nest so cleverly con- 

 structed that, but for the presence of the owner, 



