86 THE ADIRONDACK. 



one pair from a moose that a cousin of Cheney killed, 

 that were nearly four feet across from tip to tip, and 

 the horn itself fifteen inches broad. The speed of 

 these animals through the thick forests, seems almost 

 miraculous, when we consider their enormous bulk 

 and branching horns. They seldom break into a 

 gallop, but when roused by a dog, start off on a rapid 

 pace, or half trot, with the nose erect and the head 

 working sideways to let their horns pass through 

 the branches. They are rarely, if ever, taken by 

 dogs, as they run on the start twenty miles without 

 stopping, over mountains, through swamps, and 

 across lakes and rivers. They are mostly killed early 

 in the spring — ^being then unable to travel the woods, 

 as the snow is often four and five feet deep, and 

 covered with a thick sharp crust. At these times, 

 and indeed in the early part of winter, they seek 

 out some lonely spot near a spring or water-course, 

 and there " yard," as it is termed ; i. e. they trample 

 down the snow around them and browse, eating 

 everything clean as far as they go. Sometimes you 

 will find an old bull moose " yarding" alone, some- 

 times two or three together. When found in this 

 state, they are easily killed, for they cannot run fast, 



