54 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



in their movements, and ornamental to the landscape ; 

 but the moose, on the other hand, with his short, thick 

 neck, asinine head, protruding eyes, heavy hroad ears, 

 tremendous antlers, long, awkward, powerful legs and 

 disproportionate withers, looking even higher than 

 they are from the mane that surmounts them, can 

 never be considered by an impartial judge but an awk- 

 ward and clumsy-looking brute. 



Of all the ruminants on the American continent, the 

 moose is the tallest. I doubt not that a stall-fed ox 

 can be made to weigh as heavy, but not to attain the 

 stature, and on this account, as well as many others, 

 it is really a duty that the legislatures of the various 

 States of which he is an inhabitant owe to the country 

 at large to pass and enforce such laws as will prevent 

 his ultimate annihilation. 



Probably it may never again be my good fortune to 

 revisit these scenes of my youth ; but can I ever forget 

 the happy days and nights I have spent in the dense 

 swamp, sparsely covered, barren, tangled woodland, or 

 over the brilliant camp-fire, when, miles and miles away 

 from civilisation, I have been on an expedition to hunt 

 moose ? No ! Though I have shot in all parts of the 

 world, gone through scenes exciting, both as soldier 

 and hunter, Northern Maine, with all its glorious lakes, 

 rivers, and mountains, will stand paramount : for there 

 my experience of moose-hunting was gained ; there I 

 made my maiden effort, which was a failure, to return 

 years afterwards and awake the echoes with the war- 

 whoop that proclaims success. 



In December, moose deer cast their horns ; by 

 April, the successors commence to sprout ; by the end 

 of June full form is developed, but not till many weeks 



