Vol. XXVII, pp. 71-74 
April 25, 1914 
PROCEEDINGS 
OF THK 
BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBSPECIES OF MOOSE 
FROM WYOMING. 
BY E. \V. NELSON. 
In has been known for many years tliat moose inhalht parts 
of the northern Rocky Mountain region in the States of Wyom¬ 
ing, Montana and Idaho, especially in and about the Yellow¬ 
stone National Park. It is also known that they were formerly 
more widely distributed than at present, but their range has 
been restricted and their numbers diminished in most iilaees 
by modern developments in their country. Their present center 
of abundance appears to be along the Y'ellowstone River and 
about the south end (or head) of Yellowstone Lake in the 
Y'ellowstone National Park. 
We are indebted to George Shiras, 3d, for nearly all we know 
concerning the life history of these animals. During the late 
summers and autumns of 1908, 1909 and 1910 Mr. Shiras 
visited the head of Yellowstone Lake and ascended the YYllow- 
stone River, and, to the surprise of every one, discovered that 
moose were amazingly numerous there. Fie saw 21 moose in 
the shallow water at the head of the lake at one time and 
estimated that there were about 1500 in this district. Owing 
to prohibition of shooting in the park, and the unfrequented 
section they occupy, they showed little alarm at the presence 
of Mr. Shiras and his party. In the National Geograpbic 
Magazine for July, 1913 (Vol. XNIV, No. 7), Mr. 'Sbiras 
gives an account of his observations of these moose, a map of 
their distribution in the park and a series of fine photographs 
of these animals taken by day and night in their haunts. This 
is a remarkably interesting and valuable contribution to the 
14 _Pkoc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XXVII, 1914. (71) 
