lU THE MOOSE 



He saw more of the bush people than he had 

 ever done in summer. They showed up so clearly 

 against the snow, and roamed farther afield in 

 search of food. 



Otters setting forth on prolonged overland trips 

 from one frozen river to another crossed the yards 

 frequently, making a trail with their short, little 

 legs such as a log pulled over the snow would 

 form ; and once, as the moose leader extended his 

 district somewhat, the deer came on a company of 

 four otters engaged in winter sports. 



One by one they climbed laboriously to the crest 

 of a snow ridge above an ice-bound stream, and 

 one by one, lying flat, with fore- feet carefully bent 

 backwards as runners, each otter gave himself a 

 slight impetus by pressing his back legs against the 

 hard snow, when off he went tobogganing down 

 the short incline until he shot out over the straight 

 of the frozen water. This game the sportive 

 creatures continued until their slide was as shppery 

 as glass, and it needed but a touch to send the agile 

 gliders from end to end of the polished shute. 



I don't know that a prettier bush picture exists 

 than that of the otter on his slide of mud or snow, 

 unless it be a nursery of tiny gazelles at play. 



