1 hntn In L-LUl^e Mui 



TIIK SAUli COW MOOSi; COMING TOWARD THE AUTHOR 



"Whik- changing plate-holders, T was surprised to see the moose turn about and ci>me 

 toward me on a slow trot. To the uninitiated this would probably have meant a bold charge, 

 and, to the nature-faker, sufficient grounds for an exciting story. The animal was now so 

 close that 1 could notice the nostrils working convulsivel_\', and could see that if let alone she 

 would pass to my leeward about five feet — the first position in which she could get the scent 

 witlv'ut coming at me directly" (sec page 447). 



from nearh- an equal ntimber found in 

 the bordering spruce forests, which the 

 porcupines had, with few exceptions, 

 badly gnawed (see pages 460-4(^)1 ). 



Tiie members of two hunting parties 

 who visited our camp were surprised and 

 pleased at this collection, and ctjuld not 

 understand why they had only seen a 

 few worthless horns in their long jour- 

 neys afoot. This was because the more 

 open country was usually watched from 

 a knoll witli the aid of field-glasses, or 

 thev failed, wdieti moving about, to de- 

 tect the prong or two of some great horn 

 nearly hidden in the soft moss, or did not 

 know the meaning of the great white 

 slabs here and there on many an exposed 

 hillside. In one case I located the best 

 antler of the trip at the distance of over 

 a mile, the glass showing that the ser- 



rated edges could not be other than the 

 outer rim of a fine horn. 



Three distinct t\'])es of horns were 

 fciund: First, the so-called normal, or 

 broadly palmated kind; second, one of 

 great length and narnjw beam, and third, 

 a small fan-sha])ed ^'ariety (see picture, 

 page 465 ) . 



The first t3'pe was represented at times 

 bv two rather unusual modifications : {a ) 

 great thickness of the lower beams with 

 a second set of brow antlers beneath, 

 and ( b ) broadl}' palmated horns with 

 no divisional separation of the so-called 

 brow antlers (see page 464). 



In no other range of the moose have 

 I found such a variety except in the 

 highest mountain valleys of the Rockies, 

 and it suggests the conclusion that the 

 northern latitudes affect and vary the 



453 



