240 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



ing around in the bushes she comes straight to you 

 ready to fight her rival. Then again I've known 

 bears to come where they hear the cow bawling. 

 I suppose they think there is a calf somewhere in the 

 bushes and expect to get some of the meat. You 

 may be lying in the bushes listening to the guttural 

 grunts of the big bull moose as he makes his circuit 

 around you, when suddenly a bear will appear in 

 front of you looking for something to eat. Well, 

 you ain't hunting bear just then and the sight is any- 

 thing but pleasant. 



" When you are calling moose and are answered 

 by the barking of wolves or coyotes, you can just put 

 up your horn and go back to camp. There will be 

 no moose that night. I don't know why, but that 

 is what old man Thomas told me and I have always 

 found it true. The howling of wolves in reply to a 

 moose-horn seems to be a sure sign that the moose 

 will not answer." 



This talk had the effect of making Dyche think that 

 moose-calling was anything but a pleasant operation, 

 and when he came to try it he found that the reality 

 was even worse than the anticipation. One night 

 when the wind had died down the first attempt to 

 beguile a moose was made. It was wet and cold, and 

 after Dyche had been stationed in a bit of swamp at 

 the edge of the river, where he immediately got wet 

 to the skin, Brown made a call. The first call was 

 low, with the horn turned towards the ground, 

 while the mouth of the instrument was muffled 

 with the hand. After waiting fifteen minutes 

 without an answer the call was made again, 



