Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-08-05
THE MYSTERY SOVLED.
Big Bull Moose Carniverously
Attacks a Beaver Colony.
He Swallowed One of the Animals
Alive and 1t Killed Him.

A Bangor man who has been So
iourning at St John Lake in Northern
Maine, relates the following interesting
yarn:
Although natural history is not ex-
actly In the line of forestry work the
party from that bureau of the depart
ment of agriculture which is now
working up at St. John pond near the
Canadian border, has recently made an
important discovery along that line.
This discovery is nothing more nor less
than the reason for the gradual but
certain determination of the colony OF
beavers at that place. The discovery
was made by accident but it is none
the less startling.
The beaver colony at ST. John pond
has long been known to many guides
and woodsnen as being one of the
largest and most flourishinS in the
State. Beavers are not allowed to be
killed, now. save by written permission
of the fish and game commissioners.
Permission TO kill any of the st. John
pond colony, for the sake of their skins
has been rigidiy refused but neverthe-
less the animals have been disappear
ing Mt a startling rate.
The forestry party which has been
camping in that vicinity for some time
Dast became somewhat Interested ~
the strange determination OF this little
colony of animals and they have been
watching affairs there intenuy LOT
number of weeks. At last John Apple
ton of Bangor, who graduated from
Bowdoin in June and who IS Wei
known in Augusta, happened to Stun
bic On the reason-entirely By accident.
the camp of the forestry party is bat
= short distance from the beaver
houses ana one evening, as Mr.. Apple
ton was sitting in front of tbs camp
fire, for the nights are chilly in north
ern Maine even in summer, he heard a
splash and cornm0tion from the direc-
tior of the beaver dam. Looking over
in that direction he saw some dark
mass forcing its way through the
bushes. 1t soon disappeared in the di-
rection of a ridge covered with spruce
which lay not 500 yards distant from
the pond.
The next morning Mr. Appleton
walked along the shore Of the lake to
where he had seen the object disappear.
on the soft, fine sand of the beach he
distinctly saw the footprints of an I'M
usually large bull moose. He started
TO follow the trail inland and had hard
w reached the top of the ridge when he
was surprised to see the moose.
STITCHED out at the foot of spruce tree
stone dead. He made hasty eXaml-
nation of the animal and there We're
absolutely no marks of violence on him.
A few minutes afterward he returned
to camp with the news of his find and
practically the whole party rushed out
to see the fallen monarch of the forest.
The moose was examined by the rest
of those present but the cause OF his
sudden death was as much a mystery
To them as to Mr.. Appleton. II fell to {,
young Cornell graduate, who is MEM
Der of the party to finally solve the
puzzle
.I'n bet know what's happened he
said. Here one OF you fellows give me
knife" A few minutes later the
mystery was a mystery no longer.
The interior organs of the moose had
been laid bare by few deft strokes OF
the knife and inside his stomach We're
found the remains of two full grown
beaver. Another animal. which appaf-
entity was only half grown, was alive
even then. his teeth sunk into the soft
walls of the moose's abdomen. He had
evidently been swallowed hastily and
had revenged himself by causing the
death of his devourer.
The cause of the death of so many
beaver is now perfectly clear. 1t was
all due to this particular bull moose
who has contracted the beaver habit
as 1t is known in the north woods. Al
though moose are not carniverous ami
mails this particular bull had probably
ut some time CHANGED upon a young
beaver. He had eaten him and finding
the youngster 50 much to his taste. he
had continued to make systematic raids
upon the beaver colony.
Now that the moose is dead it is
thought that the beaver colony will
soon regain its accustomed prosperity.
FISHING FOR BASS