146 NOVA SCOTIA. 



deep and the cows heavy in calf, it would be quite 

 sufficient. 



Nova Scotia is admirably adapted to the moose. The 

 forests abound with their favourite browse, and the surface 

 of the country is dotted over with lakes, which afford 

 them a refuge from the flies in summer. The moose, since 

 the extinction of its relative the great Irish elk, is the 

 largest and finest of the deer tribe. And as an ornament 

 to the Acadian forest and a guest whose keep costs 

 nothing he deserves to be taken care of. I say that his 

 keep costs nothing, because if moose were exterminated 

 to-morrow the province could' not pasture one head of 

 cattle or one sheep the more. 



Whether the moose (Cervus dices) of North America is 

 identical with the elk of Northern Europe is a matter 

 that has not been quite settled by naturalists. There are 

 some slight differences, chiefly, I believe, in the size and 

 shade of colour ; but these points of difference we see in 

 almost all species, man included, who live under different 

 conditions of country, climate, &c. Several animals and 

 many birds are common to the more northern parts of 

 both continents,* and it seems more than probable that 

 the moose is one of these. 



Most animals whose homes are in the north are pro- 

 vided by nature with a disguise in the winter, their colour 

 more or less approaching to that of the snow. The moose 

 is an exception to this rule, his coat turning darker in 



* For instance, lynx, marten, snowy owl, hawk-owl (P. Tridactylus), 

 and other woodpeckers, wax-wing, snow bunting, black-cap, titmouse, 

 pine grosbeak, willow grouse, also several gulls, ducks (Anatidce'), waders, 

 divers, and puffins. 



