THE HORNS OF THE MOOSE. 55 



later are they denuded of velvet; when that takes 

 place the antlers are perfectly white, but exposure to 

 the atmosphere soon gives them a tawny shade, which 

 deepens with the lapse of time. The cow, of course, 

 never bears these ornaments, but the young bull-calf 

 at one year throws out a brace of knobs an inch in 

 length; in the second season these are about six 

 inches long ; the third year they increase to nine or 

 ten inches, with a fork. In the fourth season palma- 

 tion is exhibited with several points. From this age 

 there is a gradual increase in the palmation and num- 

 ber of points till the animal attains its greatest vigour, 

 from which period the horns decrease in width and 

 weight, at the same time becoming more elongated. 

 Twenty-three is the greatest number of points I have 

 seen on one head, and the weight of the horns just 

 exceeded seventy pounds. I doubt if larger has ever, 

 of late years, been found. 



The young moose deer, that is, those under five 

 years, frequently do not show their new head-dress till 

 March. Instances have been known still, I have no 

 doubt that such were great exceptions of young 

 males bearing the former year's horns as late as the 

 calving season, which is in the end of April, and in 

 Labrador and far northern localities, May. 



In September the rutting season commences. Then 

 is the period to see this great animal in all the magni- 

 ficence of his strength. Eeckless and furious he rushes 

 about, bellowing forth defiance to his own sex, and 

 what is accepted as notes of love by the other. Woe 

 betide the traveller, the unarmed or inexperienced man 

 who should then meet him, if no place of safety is at 

 hand, for nought but their total destruction would be 



