142 
ORDERS OF MAMMALS— HOOFED ANIMALS 
walking astride of them, and “ riding them down,” 
and in the manipulation of small branches, the 
use of the overhanging and prehensile nose is 
strikingly apparent. With their strong lower 
front teeth, used chisel-fashion, they gouge the 
bark off large branches, and feed upon it. In 
grazing on grass, or feeding upon ground mosses, 
a Moose must kneel in order to reach them. 
During the deep snows of winter, Moose herd 
together in sheltered spots in the forest; and 
Copyright by Dall DeWeese. 
ANTLERS OF AN ALASKAN MOOSE. 
Spread, 6S inches. From an animal killed on the 
Kenai Peninsula, by Dall DeWeese. 
through their moving about in a small area, the 
snow is trodden down until they form what is 
called a “Moose yard.” 
Naturally, because of its grand proportions, 
and its massive antlers, the Moose has been to 
every hunter of big game a grand prize. Al- 
though difficult to find and approach within 
easy rifle-shot, when approached it is killed easily 
and without danger. During the past five years, 
this species has been fairly protected through- 
out the eastern half of its range, and in 1902 this 
protection was by Act of Congress extended over 
the whole of Alaska. Without real protection, 
ten years’ time surely would see this magnificent 
animal, which Nature has been millions of years 
in bringing to perfection as we now see it, prac- 
tically exterminated throughout North America. 
In 1900 the legislature of the state of New 
York appropriated $5,000 to be expended in re- 
storing wild Moose to the Adirondack wilderness, 
from which the species was exterminated by 
man, forty years ago. Up to September, 1903, 
fifteen head of young Moose had been purchased, 
chiefly in Canada, taken to the Adirondacks, and 
liberated. Although the responsible guides and 
guides’ associations are using all their influence 
to secure the protection of the liberated Moose 
and elk, already have individuals of both those 
species been shot. It is greatly to be feared 
that the well-meant efforts of the state, and 
also of public-spirited private individuals, will 
accomplish little else than to furnish more 
meat for lawless persons who kill until they are 
caught, and then plead that they killed their 
Moose and elk “by mistake!” It is also to be 
feared that the Adirondack Moose will migrate 
northward into Canada, and remain there. 
It remains to be seen how much the real 
men of the Adirondacks are going to ac- 
complish against the Moose-killers and their 
supporters. 
The Alaskan Moose has obtained a place in 
the annals of natural history to which its title is, 
at the least, very questionable. It has been 
described as a new species ( Alee gigas), and a 
giant besides; and because of this, and its really 
immense antlers, it has dwarfed prevailing ideas 
regarding the more southern species (A. ameri- 
canus ). 
For the exaggerated ideas of this animal that 
now quite generally prevail, its antlers are per- 
haps chiefly responsible. Occasionally they are 
of great size and weight, exhibiting enormous 
spread (from 70 to 78 inches), wide palmations 
and also great thickness (from 14 to 2 inches). 
Their maximum dimensions considerably surpass 
those of antlers from more southern individuals. 
In addition to all this, they occasionally show 
freaky development in the shape and set of the 
brow antlers; and occasionally the main shovel 
throws out a palmated spur of striking form and 
size. Seen from the front, it often happens that 
the antlers of an Alaskan Moose present a chaotic 
