62 FOREST LIFE IN ACADIE. 



characterised by the predominance of evergreen coniferae. 

 It was all at one time plentifully occupied by the moose, 

 which is now but just frequent enough in its almost 

 inaccessible retreats in the Adirondack hills to be classed 

 amongst the quadrupeds of the State of New York. 

 The range of the animal across the continent is thus 

 indicated, and its association with the physical features 

 of the American forest. As before remarked, the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Bay of Fundy appears to be its present 

 most favoured habitat ; and it seems to rejoice especially 

 in the low-lying, swampy woods, and innumerable lakes 

 and river-basins of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. 



The scientific diagnosis of the Alcine groups (Hamilton 

 Smith) having been detailed already, we pass on to 

 describe the habits of the American moose — the result 

 of a long period of personal observation in the localities 

 last mentioned. First, however, a few remarks on the 

 specific identity of the true elks of the two hemispheres 

 seem as much called for at this time as when Gilbert 

 White, writing exactly a century ago, asks, " Please to let 

 me hear if my female moose " (one that he had inspected 

 at Goodwood, and belonging to the Duke of Richmond) 

 " corresponds with that you saw ; and whether you still 

 think that the American moose and European elk are the 

 same creature ? " In reference to this interesting ques- 

 tion, my own recent careful observations and measure- 

 ments of the Swedish elks at Sandringham compared 

 with living specimens of moose of the same age examined 

 in America, convince me of their identity ; whilst the 

 late lamented Mr. Wheelwright, with whom I have had 

 an interesting correspondence on the subject, states in 

 " Ten Years in Sweden '' : " The habits, size, colour, and 



