THE MOOSE 25 



In July these horns are soft, but in August 

 they rub off the velvet against the bushes, and 

 in September they are in full bloom. The cows 

 have generally two calves in the month of May, 

 which remain with their mothers for one year 

 and then go off on their own account. 



The moose is about the size of a large horse. 

 The head is very large ; snout and ears, long ; 

 neck, short, with a thick mane. Horns spread- 

 ing into a broad palm ; tail, short ; the colour 

 is blackish-grey. The teeth are white ; horns 

 brownish-yellow, the extremities of the prongs 

 becoming yellowish-white. The eyes are black ; 

 nose, forehead, and upper lip, yellowish-fawn ; 

 inner surface of the ears, yellowish-white ; outer 

 surface, greyish- brown. Sides of head, yellowish- 

 brown. Hairs on the appendage under the 

 throat, black ; lower lip and chin, dark grey, 

 formed of a mixture of black and white hairs. 



Major Smith, who was a close observer and 

 naturalist of considerable attainments, says : 



" For us, who have the opportunity of receiving 

 the animal in all the glory of his full-grown 

 horns, amid the scenery of his own wilderness, no 

 animal could appear more majestic or more im- 

 posing. It is, however, the aggregate of his 



