136 THE MOOSE. 



leading through the woods towards the bogs and 

 barrens which they frequent, and to which they betake 

 themselves when retreating from danger. These paths 

 are in some places very plainly marked from the 

 passage of the animals ; they are also used by bears 

 and other beasts of prey, whose tracks may be observed 

 wherever the ground is soft enough to receive the 

 impression. 



"When wandering through the woods, I have on 

 several occasions found the skeletons of two moose, 

 whose antlers had become so firmly interlaced in their 

 encounter, that, unable to extricate them, the animals 

 had perished miserably face to face. I have also found 

 the interlaced horns of the wapiti, which had doubtless 

 met death in the same manner. In the hot season the 

 many species of parasites and insects such as mos- 

 quitoes, ticks, black-flies, and breeze-flies drive the 

 moose to the lakes and the forest ponds, where they 

 may sometimes be seen standing immersed, with only 

 the head and antlers above the surface of the water. 

 I have even seen a moose in this position frequently 

 submerge his head completely; perhaps partly to rid 

 himself of his tiny persecutors, and also to drag up the 

 tendrils of the yellow pond lily, which I observed he 

 sometimes brought to the surface. 



"I have now," concluded Pierre, "read you all the 

 notes which I have made on this most interesting 

 animal." 



" Wai, young fellur," said Jake, " that's jest the kind 



