628 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



petent to withstand the regular trotting force, could not endure 

 the sudden impact of a horse when leaping. As an example of 

 the curious trot of this animal, I may mention that on one occa- 

 sion an Elk was seen to trot uninterruptedly over a number of 

 fallen tree-trunks, some of which were nearly five feet in diam- 

 eter. 



It is a remarkable fact that the split hoofs of the Elk spread 

 widely when the foot is placed on the ground, coming together 

 again with a loud snap when it is raised. In consequence of this 

 peculiarity the Elk's progress is rather noisy, the crackling sounds 

 of the hoofs following each other in quick succession. 



Want of food is sometimes a danger to the Elk ; but the ani- 

 mal is taught by instinct to clear away the snow, and to discover 

 the lichens on which it chiefly lives. The carnivorous animals, 

 however, are always fiercely hungry in the winter time, and gain 

 from necessity a factitious courage which they do not possess at 

 other times. As long, however, as the frost lasts, the Elk cares 

 little for such foes, as it can distance them if they chase it ever so 

 fiercely, or oppose them if by chance it should find itself in a 

 place where there is no retreat. They do not like to attack an 

 animal whose skin is so thick and tough that, when tanned, it 

 will resist an ordinary pistol-bullet, and which has, besides, an 

 awkward knack of striking with its fore feet like a skillful boxer, 

 knocking its foes over, and then pounding them with its hoofs 

 until they are dead. 



But when the milder weather begins to set in, the Moose is in 

 constant danger. The warm sun falling on the snow produces a 

 rather curious effect. The frozen surface only partially melts, 

 and the water, mixing with the snow beneath, causes it to sink 

 away from the icy surface, leaving a considerable space between 

 them. The "crust," as the frozen surface is technically named, 

 is quite strong enough to bear the weight of comparatively small 

 animals, such as wolves, especially when they run swiftly over it ; 

 but it yields to the enormous weight of the Elk, which plunges to 

 its belly at every step. 



The wolves have now the Elk at an advantage. They can 

 overtake it without the least difficulty ; and if they can bring it 

 to bay in the snow, its fate is sealed. They care little for the 

 branching horns, but leap boldly at the throat of the hampered 

 animal, whose terrible fore feet are now powerless, and, by dint 

 of numbers, soon worry it to death. Man, too, takes advantage 



