154 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



known, there is evidence of a migratory instinct, in the erratic 

 wanderings of individuals, especially of the young bulls in their 

 second and third years. 



NUMBERS At the Moose's ordinary rate of increase, how long should 

 it be in doubling its numbers? Supposing, for example, lOO 

 Moose, equally divided in sex, to be shut up within an ample 

 forest. Although 2 calves is the rule, they would be far 

 from doubled at the end of the first year; for, of the 50 cows, 

 some would go barren that year, some would lose their calves, 

 some would have but i, and many accidents would make a 

 continual drain. Experience shows that under the most favour- 

 able circumstances we could not reckon on an annual increase 

 of more than one-fifth of the herd. This would continue until 

 the whole range was fully populated; that is, until checked by 

 the food limits, the number would double in about five years. 

 Evidently then an annual drain of one-quarter would lessen the 

 number of Moose, but if the drain were one-fifth they might 

 hold their own; if it were but one-sixth they might increase. 



With these facts in view, let us take the report of G. H. 

 Measham, an old resident of Manitoba. Writing from Shoal 

 Lake, north-west of Winnipeg, in 1900, he says: 



**The Moose is, however, far from being scarce or in 

 much danger of becoming extinct. I can safely state that 

 within 50 miles of Winnipeg there are hundreds of Moose, and 

 that within 100 miles there are thousands of them. 



**For example, in the districts of St. Laurent and Oak 

 Point there must be some 60 or 70 hunters. Cutting them 

 down to 2 Moose per annum, that would mean 130 Moose 

 killed. Now it would be more nearly true to state the year's 

 kill at 500 head of Deer, mostly Moose, and all killed in the 

 municipality of Posen, and the greater part in townships 21 and 

 22, ranges 5 and 6, west of ist Meridian. This slaughter 

 has gone on for years, yet the Moose are still there, and lots of 

 them. The fact is, that though there are districts (like Fisher 

 River, Posen, Lake St. Martin, and so on) that are much 

 hunted, yet there are vast districts that are practically un- 



