114 CANADIAN NIGHTS 



cow moose generally drops two calves — which is 

 much in favour of the race. The moose is blessed 

 with an intensely acute sense of smell, with an 

 almost equally acute sense of hearing, and it is 

 exceedingly wary and difficult of approach. On 

 the other hand, it is but little fitted to move in 

 deep snow, owing to its great weight. Unlike 

 the caribou, which has hoofs specially adapted 

 for deep snow, the moose's feet are small compared 

 with the great bulk of the animal. If, therefore, 

 it is once found and started when the snow lies 

 deep upon the ground, its destruction is a matter 

 of certainty ; it breaks through the snow to solid 

 earth at every step, becomes speedily exhausted, 

 and falls an easy prey to men and dogs. Again, 

 a large tract of land is necessary to supply food 

 for even one moose. In summer it feeds a good 

 deal upon the stems and roots of water-lilies, but 

 its staple food consists of the tender shoots of the 

 moose-wood, ground-maple, alder, birch, poplar, 

 and other deciduous trees. It is fond of ground- 

 hemlock, and will also occasionally browse upon 

 the safin or Canada balsam, and even upon spruce, 

 though that is very rare, and I have known them 

 when hard pressed to gnaw bark off the trees. 

 Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are nearly 



