34 NEWFOUNDLAND CARIBOU 



more perfect form of insulation could scarcely be devised. 

 It is therefore probable that these animals do not suffer to 

 any extent from the actual cold. Their suffering is caused 

 by the difficulty of obtaining sufficient food, and even here 

 Nature has developed the Caribou with special reference to 

 the conditions under which it must live, by providing it 

 with hoofs which are capable of digging away the snow even 

 though it be many inches deep. The hoofs are not only 

 very large, but keen-edged and thoroughly well adapted to 

 the purpose. During the winter, the frog is almost entirely 

 absorbed to still further fit the foot for its purpose, while 

 the hairs which grow between the hoofs protect the 

 inner edges. 



In examining the feet of various northern animals, one is 

 struck by the extraordinary manner in which they are 

 designed to meet the special requirements of their owners. 

 Where snow is continually deep for long periods the 

 animal must be able to walk without sinking too deep, 

 therefore size is of great importance. The lynx and the 

 northern hares offer, perhaps, the finest example of the 

 soft-padded foot. The former has all four feet thoroughly 

 developed for snow walking. The latter has only the hind 

 feet so arranged, because the animal carries most of his 

 weight on them ; the front feet are fairly small and compara- 

 tively lightly clad, to allow for digging or burrowing into the 

 snow. The Caribou's feet, though in complete contrast to 

 these, are equally well fitted for their purpose. Instead of 

 the foot being enlarged by an extra growth of wool and hair 

 to gain a supporting surface, they have extra-large and wide- 

 spreading hoofs which act as snow-shoes. According to 

 Mr. E. Thompson Seton, the reindeer (whose feet are 

 nearly identical with those of the Newfoundland Caribou) 

 " has about one square inch of foot support for each two 



