THE MOOSE. 543 



right over you almost — answering, ' speaking,' as the Indians term it, as 

 he comes along, if nothing happens to scare him ; but that is a great if. 

 So many unavoidable accidents occur." 



In December Moose-deer cast their horns ; by April their successors 

 begin to sprout ; b}^ the end of June full form is developed, but not till 

 many weeks later are they denuded of velvet. At one year the bull-calf 

 throws out a brace of knots an inch in length ; in the second season these 

 are about six inches long ; the third year they increase to nine or ten 

 inches with a fork ; in the fourth season palmation is exhibited at many 

 points. " Twenty-three," writes Mr. Pai^ker Gilmore," is the greatest 

 number of points I have seen on one head,, and the weight of the horns 

 exceeded seventy pounds. 



The " Moose Wood " or " Pennsylvania Maple," Acer Pcnnsylvanicus, 

 derives its name from the fact that the Moose browse on it by preference. 

 The Indians, we may add, believe that after a feast on Moose-flesh they 

 can travel three times as far as after any other food. 



