114 SPORT INDEED 



The male-moose, though always watchful over his 

 mistress, is very careful to keep in the background 

 if he scents danger in air. He heard the guide's 

 call, and, as he moved up and down behind the shelter 

 of the trees, gave his answer. It was not a loud one, 

 but it was loud enough to reach the ear of his frauy 

 and affectionate enough to arouse her jealousy. A 

 moose-wife is very like the human-wife in her notions of 

 conjugal propriety, and has as little toleration for her 

 husband's flirtations ; therefore, as soon as she heard 

 him answer the guide's loving call she began to scold, 

 and in a manner that told him he must stop that sort 

 of thing or she would know the reason why. I had 

 instructed the guide to call not oftener than once in 

 fifteen minutes, and this intermission gave the bull 

 time to quiet down. But her ladyship still stood there, 

 scolding away with all the vim of an Irish washer- 

 woman, when the horn sounded the second time. 

 Again the unfaithful partner of her bosom began to 

 strut about behind the cedars, breaking the branches 

 with his feet and hitting them with his antlers. 



At this moment a far-away bark — or rather a half- 

 bark and a half -grunt — struck our ear. It was another 

 bull-moose answering the call and his answer was bold 

 and clear. The " unfaithful hubby " that had been 

 strutting so proudly heard it too, and the effect on him 

 was curious. He stopped his strutting instantly and 

 became as quiet as a lamb. 



