200 



Life-histories of Northern Animals 



pasterns and wide-cleft crackling hoofs, he shoots over the 

 crests of the deepest drifts, unbroken, in which the lordly 

 Moose would soon flounder shoulder deep if hard pressed, and 

 the graceful Deer would fall despairingly and bleat in vain for 

 mercy." 



In yet another particular the Caribou's foot stands first in 

 its class, namely, as a paddle. With his broad-spreading 



'fliir 



'^lii* 



%fi.. 



4l««ll!|l()ll % 



7i yC^ny. 



j»\ ^. 







Fig. 8o — Tracks of Woodland Caribou on Athabaska River, October, 1907. 

 The paces vary from 20 to 40 inches. 



hoofs he is as truly web-footed as a coot, while the thin shank 

 and closed foot give the perfect return. 



HAIR Clad next to the skin with a coat of oily wool, the Caribou 



is covered exteriorly with a dense pelage of fine quills. While 

 they are truly hairs, each is a little barrel of air, which increases 

 in thickness until the coat is perfect. Being air-cells, they are 

 light and make excellent non-conductors, thus conserving the 

 bodily warmth of the animal. 



But they are of service also in another way, namely, as 

 floats. Baillie-Grohman mentions the use of Caribou hair to 

 fill life-belts, and says, farther, that a German, Dr. Mintz, has 

 invented a Caribou or Reindeer-hair cloth which, when made 

 into suits, prevents the human body from sinking.^^ 



Every Caribou wears, in effect, a cork-jacket; and when 

 this is in prime condition the creature seems on the water 

 rather than in it. No other quadruped that I know floats as 

 high out of the water as the Caribou. 



" Sport and Life Br. Col., 1900, p. 133. 



