NORTHERN OCEAN 259 



obliged to brouze on the tops of large plants and the leaves 1772. 

 of trees during the Summer; and in Winter they always feed """^' 

 on the tops of willows, and the small branches of the birch- 

 tree ; on which account they are never found during that 

 season but in such places as can afford them a plentiful supply 

 of their favourite food : and though they have no fore-teeth 

 in the upper-jaw, yet I have often seen willows and small 

 birch-trees cropped by them, in the same manner as if they 

 had been cut by a gardener's sheers, though some of them 

 were not smaller than common pipe-stems ; they seem par- 

 ticularly partial to the red willow. 



In Summer they are generally found to frequent the banks 

 of rivers and lakes, probably with no other view [256] than to 

 have the benefit of getting into the water, to avoid the 

 innumerable multitudes of muskettos and other flies that 

 pester them exceedingly during that season. There is also a 

 variety of water-plants, of which the moose are very fond, and 

 which are adapted to their necessities in a peculiar manner 

 during tRe Summer season, as they can easily brouze on 

 them when nearly emerged in water, to avoid the torment 

 of the flies. 



The head of the moose is, as I have observed, remarkably 

 long and large, not very unlike that of a horse ; but the nose 

 and nostrils are at least twice as large. The ears are about 

 a foot long, and large ; and they always stand erect. Their 

 faculty of hearing is supposed to be more acute than either 

 their sight or scent ; which makes it very diflicult to kill them, 

 especially as the Indians in those parts have no other method 

 of doing it but by creeping after them, among the trees and 

 bushes, till they get within gun-shot ; taking care always to 

 keep to leeward of the moose, for fear of being overheard. 

 In Summer, when they frequent the margins of rivers and 

 lakes, they are often killed by the Indians in the water, 

 while they are crossing rivers, or swimming from the main to 

 islands, &c. When pursued in this manner, they are the 



