THE ROMANCE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



moose rise slowly in the centre of the pond, which 

 was not very deep, and wade towards the shore 

 where he was sitting. When he came sufficiently 

 near, he shot him in the water. 



The manner of hunting moose in winter is also 

 illustrative of his recluse disposition. Deer are 

 taken extensively by a process called "crusting;" 

 that is, pursuing them, after a night's rain fol- 

 lowed by frost has formed a crust of ice upon the 

 surface of the deep snow. This will easily bear 

 the weight of a man furnished with rackets, or 

 snow-shoes, but gives way at once under the hoof 

 of a moose or deer ; and the animal thus embar- 

 rassed is readily overtaken and killed. 



The moose, though occasionally taken by "crust- 

 ing," seems to understand his danger, and to 

 take precautions against it. 



The sagacious animal, so soon as a heavy 

 storm sets in, begins to form what is called a 

 "moose-yard," which is a large area, wherein he 

 industriously tramples down the snow while it is 

 falling, so as to have room to move about in and 

 browse upon the branches of trees, without the 

 necessity of wandering from place to place, strug- 

 gling through the deep drifts, exposed to the 

 wolves, who, being of lighter make, hold a carni- 

 val upon the deer in crusting time. No wolf, 

 however, dares enter a moose-yard. He will 

 troop round and round upon the snow-bank 

 which walls it, and his howling will, perhaps, 

 bring two or three of his brethren to the spot, 

 who will try to terrify the moose from his van- 

 tage ground, but dare not descend into it. 



The Indians occasionally find a moose-yard, and 



take an easy advantage of the discovery, as he 



can no more defend himself or escape than a cow 



in a village pound. But, when at liberty, and 



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