THE MOOSE. 443 



1637, for toils to be taken to Yirginia to catch deer alive for him. 

 By " deer '' meaning the great elk of America now known as the 

 moose, but the success of the venture is not recorded, for about 

 this time the monarch's troubles began to thicken around him. 



They are difficult animals to transport without injury, and this 

 fact was brought home to Victor Emanuel, who, some five and 

 twenty years ago, gave orders to have a number shipped from 

 North America to Italy for him. After considerable labour some 

 were caught and tamed, but all but one died at sea through rough 

 weather. 



When captured young the elk is easily tamed and domesticated ; 

 and to people who are partial to the rearing of hybrids it may be 

 interesting to know that at the Veterinary Institute in Stockholm 

 a cross between a tame elk and a cow has been obtained. A tame 

 moose manifests considerable attachment to the person who takes 

 care of it, for it will follow him about like a dog, and after a 

 separation will exhibit in many ways unmistakable expressions 

 of joy and pleasure on again seeing him. 



Their powers were for two or three centuries utilized for sledge- 

 drawing in Sweden. They were described as being quite as useful 

 as the reindeer in harness, and could perform long journeys at a 

 much greater speed. In the reign of Charles IX. (1550 to 1611) 

 elks were employed in this way for conveying couriers ; and their 

 endurance and the rate they could travel can be imagined, for 

 it is recorded that they accomplished 234 English miles a day 

 even when harnessed to a sledge. It is stated that this fact was 

 the reason their use was discontinued ; for their great speed and 

 the distance they could travel led to their being utilized by mur- 

 derers and other criminals to accelerate their escape over the 

 frontier, and their employment had consequently to be prohibited 

 by the Government under heavy penalties. 



Although so easily tamed and trained for work, yet the reason 

 that they are not so utilized at the present day is no doubt owing 

 to the fact that during the rutting season they become useless, 

 for they get headstrong, pugnacious, and frequently dangerous. 

 Some years ago, a gentleman in Three Rivers, a province of Que- 

 bec had a tame animal, which he employed during the winter to 



