LIFE AND HABITS ii 



primitive form of vegetation — the lichen — which was 

 then, and is still, engaged in forming a soil capable of 

 sustaining the higher forms of plant life. These lichens, 

 being the chief food of all the reindeer, rendered the greater 

 part of the northern continent suitable for the wandering 

 deer. The theory advanced by some writers that the 

 Caribou crossed the Straits of Belle Isle during the winter, 

 when ice bridged the ten mile strip of water, does not sound 

 plausible as an explanation of how the island was first 

 inhabited by the animals, though it is of course quite 

 possible that at times they have crossed under exceptional 

 conditions. Captain C, Hardy, in his book, " Forest Life 

 in Acadie," which was published in 1869, says that: "Some 

 years ago, during an unusually cold winter, the deer crossed 

 in large bands from Labrador into Newfoundland over the 

 frozen straits." He does not give any authority for the 

 statement, so the information was probably obtained from 

 local fishermen. So far as I can learn, nothing of the kind 

 has occurred during the last few years, and as the New- 

 foundland Caribou is fairly persistent in its distinctness from 

 the Labrador race we must be content to believe that their 

 separation from the original herds took place very many 

 years ago. Yet, on the other hand, there being always 

 two sides to an argument, the Labrador species may have 

 come over during comparatively recent times, and this 

 would account for the claim that there is a secondary species 

 or variety of the Newfoundland race, a claim which I confess 

 requires some stretch of the imagination to believe in. 



To-day we know the Caribou of the large island as a 

 more or less migratory animal which exists in considerable 

 numbers. How many there are it would be difficult to say, 

 perhaps one hundred and fifty thousand altogether would be 

 a fairly safe estimate. J. G. Millais thinks there are more 



