208 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



remarked and proved since time immemorial. Now there are 

 many women in the Fort, and they are continually going about 

 from house to house, and, it may be, sitting and driving about on 

 the dog-sleds upon which a head would require to be placed if 

 brought from a distance. A head and horns brought to the Fort, 

 cleaned and preserved, would doubtless be visited and handled by 

 women, and if any of them should happen to be in the proscribed 

 state it would finish the hunting success of the Indian who killed 

 the Moose that year. At other times the women, as well as their 

 husbands, handle and eat the heads. The Loucheux of Peel River 

 and the Yukon are strict only with regard to the first Moose an 

 Indian kills after having starved for a period. Of this the women 

 are scarcely allowed to taste, and on no account must they taste 

 the head. These Indians have no objection to part with Moose 

 heads, if assured that no portion, even of the refuse, will be given 

 to a dog to eat. They cannot be prevailed upon to bring young 

 ones to the Fort alive, although many are caught every spring 

 while crossing rivers and lakes. They say this would spoil their 

 hunting altogether ; but why, I could never get one to explain ; 

 probably the idea has some connection with the superstitions 

 entertained among the Chippewyans regarding the women. 



In spring, when the females are near calving, they proceed to 

 places where they are least likely to be disturbed by Wolves, such 

 as islands in lakes and rivers, and also in prairies and large 

 swamps which are overflowed with water at that season; there 

 they search for a dry spot among thick woods where they may 

 bring forth their young. When the calves are very young 

 the mother in their defence will even attack a man. At such 

 times her appearance reminds one forcibly of that of a vicious 

 horse. She raises her head, throws back her ears upon her 

 neck, and sniffs or blows like a horse ; then she bounds toward 

 her enemy, striking the ground with her fore feet, her eyes 

 glittering with rage. 



When the snow happens to be very deep, Moose are run 

 down on snow-shoes and killed with arrows. In spring, when 

 there is a crust, accidents frequently happen in this species of 

 hunting. If the hunter chance, from the nature of the country, 

 to run too near the Moose, after he is fatigued, he will turn like 

 lightning, leap toward his assailant, and trample him under foot. 

 I have known several people who had very narrow escapes of this 



