THE ALCINE DEER OF THE OLD AND NEW WORLDS. 79 



through the air on a clear frosty morning to an astonish- 

 ing distance in America. Indeed, I once was lying in 

 the bushes in full view of a magnificent bull when the 

 cars passed on a provincial railway at a distance of four 

 or five miles, and the deep discordant howl of the 

 American engine-whistle, or rather trumpet, woke echoes 

 from the hill-sides far and near. Once or twice he raised 

 his ears and slowly turned his head to the sound, and 

 then quietly and meditatively resumed the process of 

 rumination. 



In April, about the time of the sap ascending in trees, 

 the moose horns begin to sprout, the old pair having 

 fallen two months previously. The latest date that I 

 have ever seen a bull wearing both horns was on the 

 29th of January. The cylindrical dag of the moose in 

 his second year, and the two-pronged and still impalmate 

 horn of the next season are, however, retained till 

 April. In the middle of this month the coat is shed, 

 and for some time the moose presents a very rugged 

 appearance. Towards the end of May the cow drops one 

 or two calves (rarely three), by the margin of a lake, 

 often on one of the densely-wooded islands, where they 

 are more secure from the attacks of the black bear or of 

 the bull moose themselves. It has been affirmed as one 

 of the distinctive traits of the Arctic deer that the fawns 

 are not spotted. Though faint, there are decided dap- 

 ples on the sides and flanks of the young moose ; in the 

 cariboo they are quite conspicuous. In May the plague 

 of flies commences, driving the more migratory cariboo 

 to the mountains and elevated lands, and inducing the 

 moose to pass much of his time in the lakes, where they 

 may be frequently seen browsing on water-lilies near the 



