150 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



There is one peculiarity of the Moose range that is almost 

 unique, at least among our Deer. Many observers state that 

 Moose are now found in such and such a large region where 

 formerly they were unknown. It has always seemed to me 

 more likely that in these cases Moose are now common where 

 formerly rare. If Moose can live there to-day, why not in 

 primitive times ? 



But the statements of many reliable travellers, among 

 them Dr. Robert Bell, of the Canadian Geological Survey, are 

 not to be ignored. Doubtless there is yet a curious chapter to 

 be written on the distribution of the species. Dr. Bell says:'^ 

 "The Moose or American Elk {J Ices americanus) migrates 

 slowly from one large area to another through periods extend- 

 ing over many years. For example, in the Gaspe Peninsula 

 the last interval between its leaving and again returning to the 

 same district was upward of half a century, and in the region 

 between the Upper Great Lakes and James Bay the period 

 between his last withdrawal and reappearance has been still 

 longer." 



The map shows, therefore, where the Moose was found at 

 any time. The parts where it is known to have been ex- 

 terminated by man are remarkably small, comprising, chiefly. 

 Cape Breton and a strip in the United States along the southern 

 border of the dotted area. The range of the Moose was act- 

 ually more limited twenty years ago than it is to-day, for good 

 game laws have resulted in a general increase of its numbers 

 over much territory where once it was near extermination. 



There is one oft-quoted error that requires correction. 

 Richardson, Caton, and many others, who should have 

 known better, say that formerly the Moose ranged south to the 

 Ohio. All these writers refer to DuPratz as authority, but not 

 one of them seems to have looked up DuPratz. Here is his 

 whole statement :^^ "This is what we call the Wabache, and 

 v^h2it in Canada ?ind New England xhty C2i\\xhtO\\\o. * * * 



" Mammoth and Mastodon Remains, Hudson's Bay, Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., June 

 1898, p. 376. 



'"DuPratz, The Hist. Louis. Vol. I, pp. 300-1. 



