MOOSE DEER. 101 



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. Reckless 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 

 the result. I knew an instance where a French Cana - 

 dian nearly lost his life by one of these furious beasts. 

 He had gone with his pony and sled to bring a boat 

 across a portage, and on his return, while threading 

 the intricacies of the bush-path, a moose, excited with 

 rage and lust, rushed past him. Indiscreetly he fired 

 a charge of small shot after the retreating termagant, 

 which brought him to the right-about, and caused 

 him to charge. Into the boat jumped the Canadian, 

 but the thin ribs and planks afforded no protection 

 from such an assailant. The frail craft was soon 

 knocked to pieces, and our friend took to a tree, when, 

 from his perch, he witnessed his pony gored and 

 trampled to death. Moral : Don't fire small shot at 

 moose if you have any regard for your life. 



During the rutting season many bull moose are 



