FLESH FOOD FROM MAMMALS. 125 



Some Indians and Canadians leave this savoury mix- 

 ture to ferment or season for a few days before they eat 

 it. The blood, if mixed in proper proportion with fat 

 meat and cooked with some nicety, forms a rich and 

 highly nutritious soup. After all the flesh is consumed 

 the bones are pounded, and a large quantity of marrow 

 extracted by boiling ; this is employed in preparing 

 pemmican. 



Reindeers' tongues are much liked by many in 'this 

 country, large quantities being imported annually from 

 Russia. They are snow-cured, no salt whatever being 

 used, the mildness and richness of flavour in the meat is 

 preserved, and they are rendered extremely acceptable to 

 refined palates. 



The flesh of the moose or elk is more relished by the 

 Indians and persons resident in the fur countries of 

 America than that of any other animal. It bears a 

 greater resemblance in its flavour to beef than to venison. 

 It is said that the external fat is soft, like that of a 

 breast of mutton, and when put into a bladder is as fine 

 as marrow. In this it differs from all other species of 

 deer, of which the external fat is hard. A buck in its 

 grease will weigh as much as 800 lbs. without the ofial. 

 When in good condition the flesh is sweet and tender, 

 and is highly esteemed as an article of food. The 

 "moufle" or loose covering of the nose is considered 

 by epicures the greatest delicacy of the North-west, con- 

 testing the palm with bear's paw, beaver tail, reindeer 

 tongue, and buffalo boss, i 



In a few years, unless legislation interferes, there will 

 be no elk, buffalo, mule-deer, or antelope left to hunt in 

 the Western States and Territories. In Minnesota, 

 Montana, and Wyoming alone 20,000 deer are annually 

 slaughtered, and in one year between the Yellowstone 

 and the head waters of the little Missouri 25,000 

 buffaloes were killed. Even if this extermination of 

 the noble fauna of America was the result of legitimate 

 sport it woi^ld be matter for regret. But sport has 

 nothing to do with it. The price of an elk's skin is 



