. To the
north it is met with as far as timber grows--even to the shores of the
Polar Sea! Naturalists are not certain, whether or not it be the same
animal with the elk of Europe. Certainly the two are but little, if
anything, different; but the name "elk" has been given in America to
quite another and smaller species of deer--the wapiti.

The moose takes its name from its Indian appellation, "moosoea," or
"wood-eater;" and this name is very appropriate, as the animal lives
mostly upon the leaves and twigs of trees. In fact, its structure--like
that of the camelopard--is such that it finds great difficulty in
reaching grass, or any other herbage, except where the latter chances to
be very tall, or grows upon the declivity of a very steep hill. When it
wishes to feed upon grass, the moose usually seeks it in such
situations; and it may often be seen browsing up the side of a hill,
with its legs spread widely on both sides of its neck. But its favourite
food is found at a more convenient height, and consists of the young
shoots of many species of trees. It prefers those of the poplar, the
birch-tree, and willows, and one kind of these last, the red willow, is
its particular favourite.

The "striped" maple is also much relished by the moose--hence the name
"moose-wood," by which this tree is known among the hunters. It loves
also the common water-lilies, and in summer it may be seen wading out
into lakes, and plucking up their succulent leaves. It takes to the
water also for other purposes--to cool its body, and rid itself of
several species of gnats and mosquitoes that at this season torment it
exceedingly. At such times it is more easily approached; and the Indians
hunt it in their canoes, and kill it in the water, both with spears and
arrows. They never find the moose, however, in large numbers--for it is
a solitary animal, and only associates in pairs during one part of the
year, and in families at another season--as Basil now found it.

In winter the Indians track it through the snow, following it upon
snow-shoes. These give them the advantage of skimming along the surface,
while the moose plunges through the deep rift, and is therefore impeded
in its flight. Notwithstanding, it will frequently escape from the
hunter, after a _chase of several days' duration_! Sometimes, in deep
snow, a dozen or more of these animals will be found in one place, where
they have got accidentally together. The snow will be trodden dow