196 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



Norway, I have seen the Reindeer again and again rubbing 

 the growing horns on the region of this gland. The Nor- 

 wegians told me that it was done to oil the horns. I think, 

 however, that probably the action was merely to scratch the 

 tender velvet of the growing antlers; just as a cow or sheep 

 always scratches its head with its hind-foot. 

 GREGA- The Woodland Caribou is found all winter in small bands 



of both sexes. Five to twenty are commonly seen together 

 at this time. Thus the species is quite gregarious, yet is but 

 slightly sociable, since individuals rarely combine their efforts 

 for a common purpose. 

 coMMu- A gregarious animal has usually many means of com- 



TioN municating with its fellows. In this case, the well-marked 

 livery of the species serves as his uniform does a soldier; it 

 lets friend and foe alike know who this is. 



Next in importance is the "white flag," the tail and its 

 surrounding disk, with which, as in most Deer, the Caribou 

 does its wigwag signalling. The sudden elevation of this 

 white tail when danger is sensed, conveys at once a silent alarm 

 to the nearest of its kind. Probably the white patch of hair 

 on the throat is used much as the Antelope use their disk, that 

 is, as a flash-signal. 



VOICE This Caribou's grunt I have never heard in a state of nat- 



ure, but it is said to be much like that of the Norwegian Rein- 

 deer, and my notes on that are very full, thus : 



"On July 4, 1900, got into a herd of about 1,000 half- 

 wild Reindeer. Their only vocal sound is a grunt. This is 

 uttered singly or else doubled; that is, two are given in rapid 

 succession. It is sometimes the call of a cow to her calf, and 

 sometimes is uttered by one that has been left behind, evidently 

 a note of alarm or inquiry to find out if his friends are close at 

 hand. When I imitated this call the near Reindeer came 

 cautiously and curiously toward me. Usually, when one or 

 two in the herd begin it, the others join in till it is like a volley 

 of grunts." 



In the rutting season, Linklater tells me, he has often 



