ait 



!■■■ ' i;i| 



400 



AUDUBON 



year about the beginning of December. The first year 

 their horns are not dropped in spring. When irritated 

 the Moose makes a great grinding with his teeth, erects 

 his mane, lays back his ears, and stamps with violence. 

 When disturbed he makes a hideous whining noise, much 

 in the manner of the Camel. 



In that wild and secluded part of the country, seldom 

 visited but by the Indians, the common Deer were with- 

 out number, and it was with great difficulty that we kept 

 the dogs with us, as they were continually meeting with 

 "beats." In its habits that species greatly resembles the 

 Moose. The Caribou has a very broad, flat foot, and can 

 spread it on the snow to the fetlock, so as to be able to 

 run on a crust scarcely hard enough to bear a dog. When 

 the snow is soft, they keep in immense droves around the 

 margins of the large lakes to which they betake them- 

 selves when pursued, the crust being much harder there 

 than elsewhere. When it becomes more firm, they strike 

 into the woods. As they possess such facility of running 

 on snow, they do not require to make any yards, and con- 

 sequently have no fixed place in the winter. The speed 

 of this animal is not well known, but I am inclined to 

 believe it much greater than that of the fleetest horse. 



In our camp we saw great numbers of Crossbills, Gros- 

 beaks, and various other small birds. Of the first of 

 these were two species which were very tame, and alighted 

 on our hut with the greatest familiarity. We caught five 

 or six at once, under a snow-shoe. The Pine-Martin and 

 Wild Cat were also very abundant.^ 



1 The " Moose Hunt " was communicated to me by my young friend, 

 Thomas Lincoln, of Dennysville in Maine. 



