50 
THE WOODLAND CARIBOU. 
The Moose (Alee americanus), closely allied to the elk of 
northern Europe, is the largest of the deer family, much ex¬ 
ceeding in height the largest horse. This magnificent animal 
formerly ranged into the upper parts of the Eastern and Mid¬ 
dle States, but its numbers have lessened rapidly, and at pres¬ 
ent it is rarely found below the northern part of Maine, from 
whence they range into all parts of British America. 
The antlers of the Moose, at their fullest development, are 
very widely palmated or flattened, and spread as much as five 
feet from tip to tip. As with all of the deer family, these enor¬ 
mous horns are shed every year, early in the spring, and are 
very shortly reproduced by a bony deposit from the blood. It 
is almost beyond belief that so great a mass, weighing from 
forty to sixty pounds, can be produced by such a process within 
the short space of from ten to twelve weeks. During the sea¬ 
son of rutting the bull Moose is a savage and dangerous ani¬ 
mal, and it is well to keep beyond the reach of the terrible 
