THE MOOSE. 437 



kind of food. The lips being prehensile, are perfectly adapted to 

 its mode of feeding, for it can peel the bark from the trees, and 

 draw within the mouth the branches and tender shoots it selects. 

 Hunters who have studied the habits of these animals in their 

 wild state, say that when the branches or topmost shoots are 

 beyond the reach of the moose, they resort to a process termed 

 " riding down the tree," that is, they get astride it, and bear it 

 down by the weight of the body, until the coveted branches are 

 within their reach. 



Although they are very shy and timid, and very rarely attack 

 even when angered, yet it must be remembered that a ferocious 

 moose is an animal to be avoided, for besides employing his 

 antlers, he has a tremendous power with the hoofs, for the great 

 length of leg enables him to lash out vigorously with the hind-feet, 

 and with a single kick one has been known to kill a wolf ; but they 

 usually defend themselves against these animals and dogs with their 

 fore-feet, for they turn the hoof so as to strike with the sharp 

 point, while they deliver their blows with extraordinary rapidity. 



The Indians are great hunters of the moose, for the flesh is 

 good eating, and the hide yields admirable leather for moccasins 

 and snow-shoes. Captain Butler, who witnessed moose-hunting 

 on the Peace Eiver, gives a description of it in his book, " The 

 Wild North Land," and remarks : — 



"No man, save the Indian or the half Indian, can hunt the 

 moose with chance of success. I am a,ware that a host of 

 Englishmen and Canadians will exclaim against this, but never- 

 theless, it is perfectly true. Hunting the moose in summer and 

 winter is one thing — killing him in a snow-yard or running him 

 down in deep snow is another. The two methods are as widely 

 different as killing a salmon which another man has hooked for 

 you, is different from rising, hooking, playing, and gaflfing one 



yourself. 



" To hunt the moose requires years of study. Here is the little 

 game which his instinct teaches him. When the early morning 

 has come he begins to think of lying down for the day. He has 

 been feeding on the grey and golden willow-tops as he walked 

 leisurely along. His track is marked in the snow or soft clay ; 



