74 FOREST LIFE IN ACADIE. 



folded back one layer upon the other, are not uncommon; 

 and sometimes an almost entire absence of palmation 

 occurs, in which case I have seen a pair of moose horns 

 ascribed to the cariboo. Structural irregularity of the 

 antler is frequently the result of constitutional injury. 

 A friend in Nova Scotia, well known there as " the Old 

 Hunter," recently gave me a pair of horns of most 

 singular appearance, the original possessor of which he 

 had shot a few falls previous. They were of a dead- 

 white colour, without palmation, and with immense and 

 knotted burrs and long bony excrescences sprouting from 

 the shafts of the antlers like stalactites. The horn 

 matter, instead of flowing evenly over the surface, had 

 been impeded in its course, and had burst out at the base 

 of the horn. The animal, an unusually large and old 

 bull, when shot showed evident signs of having been in 

 the wars during the previous season. Several of his ribs 

 were broken, and the carcass bore many other marks of 

 injury. The very bones appeared affected by disease, 

 and were dried up and marrowless. 



Even when badly wounded, the moose is seldom 

 known to attack a man unless too nearly approached. 

 There are instances, however, recorded to the contrary. 

 An old Indian, long since dead, called " Old Joe Cope " 

 (not the Joe previously mentioned), was for years nearly 

 bent double by a severe beating received from the fore- 

 foot of a wounded moose which turned on him. For 

 safety, there being no tree near, he jammed himself in 

 between two large granite boulders which were near at 

 hand. The aperture did not extend far enough back to 

 enable him to get altogether out of the reach of the 

 infuriated bull. 



