70 THE DEER FAMILY 



that, in many portions of southwestern Alaska, moose 

 were easily found and killed, bore heavily against them. 

 The Kenai Peninsula partook of the character of a 

 moose 'preserve,' in everything save preservation. 



"In 1902, through the combined efforts of naturalists 

 and sportsmen, Congress enacted a law for the protec- 

 tion of the wild animals of Alaska, very wisely charged 

 the Secretary of Agriculture with its enforcement, 

 and vested him with wide discretionary power. It 

 was a great day for big game, and for all persons inter- 

 ested in the preservation of our grandest wild animals, 

 when the fauna of Alaska came under the protection 

 of Drs. C. Hart Merriam and T. S. Palmer, of the 

 United States Biological Survey, who are specially 

 charged with the enforcement of the Alaska game-law. 

 The killing of moose for salable heads promptly de- 

 creased. Excepting by prospectors and natives in 

 great need of food, no moose, white sheep, goat, cari- 

 bou, or big brown bear may be killed in close season 

 without a special license signed by the Secretary of 

 Agriculture ; nor can any skins, heads, or antlers of 

 protected game be transported from Alaska without 

 permits."* 



The moose inhabits the northern forests, being 

 chiefly found north of the United States. There are 

 some moose in Maine — more now, under good game- 

 laws, than there were a score of years ago — but not 

 nearly so many as appear in railway-guides and hotel- 

 prospectuses. There are moose in the Rocky Moun- 

 tain forests of the northwestern United States, but 

 they are nowhere very abundant. The moose was, not 



* Hornaday, The American Natural History. 



