88 THE MOOSE, OR ELK. 



one was seen swimming off to an island over a mile distant, 

 which he reached in safety. 



The moose feeds chiefly on the leaves of young shoots and 

 bushes, or the smaller trees the red and other maples, the 

 white birch, the balsam, fur, poplar, and mountain ash ; and 

 occasionally, as has been said, on the roots of the yellow pond- 

 lily, with a bite now and then at a tussack of broad-leaved grass 

 growing in the dried bogs. To get at the foliage beyond the reach 

 of his muzzle, he frequently charges a young tree and rides it 

 down, till he has brought the tempting leaves within his reach. 



The horns of the animal begin to sprout in April, the old 

 pair having fallen some time before. In the middle of this 

 month the coat is shed, when the animal for some time after- 

 wards presents a very rugged appearance. The cow towards 

 the end of May produces one or two calves, generally near 

 the margin of a lake, or in one of the densely-wooded islands, 

 where they are secure from the attacks of the bull moose, 

 who, cruel tyrant that he is, often destroys them. Rarely 

 more than two are born at a time. 



Besides its human foes, the moose is attacked occasionally 

 by the bear. Captain Hardy describes coming upon the 

 traces of a recent struggle between a young moose and one 

 of these animals. " The bear had evidently stolen through 

 the long grass upon the moose, and had taken him at a dis- 

 advantage in the treacherous bog. The grass was very much 

 beaten down, and deep furrows in the soil below showed how 

 energetically the unfortunate moose had striven to escape 

 from his powerful assailant. There was a broad track plenti- 

 fully strewed with moose hair, showing how the moose had 

 struggled with the bear, to the wood, where, no doubt, the 

 affair ended, and the bear dined." 



