Feb., 1912. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 75 



Moose (Alee) Adams, Rept. State Board Geol. Surv. Mich., 1905 (1906), p. 131 

 (Michigan). 



Type locality — North America. 



Distribution — British America and in Maine, Minnesota, and the Rocky 

 Mountains from Wyoming northward ; casual or accidental elsewhere 

 in extreme northern United States, formerly considerably further 

 south;* replaced in Alaska by another and larger species. 



Description — Adult male in winter: Antlers very large and broadly 

 palmate; general color of hair blackish or blackish brown; under 

 parts blackish brown, except lower belly, which is pale brownish 

 gray ; inside and entire lower portion of legs brownish gray ; more or 

 less gray on muzzle; tail very short, black, tipped with a few gray 

 hairs; dewlapf (a pendulous ''bell" hanging from the neck) black; 

 end of nose between nostrils almost entirely covered with hair except 

 a very narrow triangular bare space. 



Adult female: Similar but smaller and without antlers; ''bell" 

 present but small. 



In summer: Rather lighter in color and legs tawny gray. The 

 young is reddish brown without spots. 



Measurements — Length, 8>^ to 9 feet; tail 2}4 inches; height at 

 shoulder, 5^ to 6^ feet; average spread of antlers in adult, 52 

 to 58 inches; length of antlers, 40 to 45 inches. 



Moose were abundant in Wisconsin up to the middle of the last 

 century, and more or less common in a few localities at a much later 

 date. It is not unlikely that even at the present time one or two in- 

 dividuals may still be found in the extreme northwestern part of the 

 state. 



In 1881 Dr. Hoy writes, "Moose, Alee Americanus, continue to 



* There is Httle doubt that in the early part of the i8th century the range of the 

 Moose extended in New England at least so far south as Massachusetts and possibly 

 northern Pennsylvania. Catesby estimates the southern limit of its range to have 

 been about latitude 40°, but his opinion was based upon hearsay evidence and is of 

 little value (Nat. Hist. Carolina, II, 1743, p. xxvii). Several ancient writers 

 state that Moose were common in New England, but with few exceptions they are not 

 specific as to localities. Paul Dudley, however, says, "A few years since a Gentle- 

 man surprised one of these black Moose in his Grounds within two miles of Boston ; 

 it proved a Doe or Hind of the fourth year; after she was dead, they measured her 

 upon the Ground, from the Nose to the Tail, between ten and eleven Feet, She 

 wanted an Inch of seven Foot in height." (Phil. Trans., XXXI, No. 386, 1721, p. 

 166.) Wm. Wood also informs us that "There be not many of these in Massa- 

 chusetts Bay, but forty miles to the northeast there be great store of them" (New 

 England's Prospect, 1634). It is claimed that Moose antlers were found in a salt 

 lick in northern Pennsylvania in the Alleghany Mountains near the New York state 

 line (Doughty 's Cabinet Nat. Hist. I, 1830, p. 281). 



t The bell varies in length but is usually from 8 to 12 inches. Mr. E. T. Seton 

 records a freak specimen having a bell 38 inches long (Life Hist, of Northern Animals, 

 I, 1909, p. 163). 



