Moos( 



177 



he digs and paws the mud and irrigates it abundantly till it 

 IS a mud bath with every intensified odour that his physical 

 personality can contribute. In this he wallows, and plays to 

 his infinite satisfaction, and with results which seem to prove 

 that it does not m the least repel the lady Moose of his choice 

 I have seen this wallow many times in America, more 

 especially on the Ottawa, but have no proof that this very spot 



ScaldinalTa"^ °^ *' '''''''' "' " '' '"PP°^^d ^ be in 



It is an interesting beginning of civilization when we 

 find an animal with special places for special things. This 

 we see well developed in the "leks" of the capercailzie and the 

 dancing and drumming places of the grouse, or among Mice 

 whrch go out of their way to leave their dung at one spot, as 

 well as certain species that repair to a given place at the ap- 

 proach of death. But, so far as known, the present species is 

 the only one of our Deer that has advanced on these lines. 



The Moose has to condense his intenser pleasures into a 

 couple of weeks, so takes them seriously. During this time 

 he even forgets to eat, and on returning from his wedding-trip 

 he IS no better than a spent salmon, or the last run of shad 

 which are parallelisms for the same effect from the same cause' 

 and are understood to mean also "not fit for human food." ' 



1 he old Moose has no longer any well-founded objections 

 to receiving his step-children back into the family, and as 

 noted already, the group in the Moose yard that winter is 

 usually the mother, the children, and the father that isn't 

 theirs. 



The *'old bachelor" and the "old maid" are well-known the un. 

 characters in all the higher walks of animal life. Among '^^"^^ 

 American ruminants they are known as the 'Mone bull" and 

 the barren cow." The lone bull is usually an old fellow who 

 has outgrown the ardour of youth. Some believe him to be 

 one whose mate has died. He generally wanders alone and is 

 ot uncertain temper. The barren cow is commonly so by mis- 



