LIFE AND HABITS 39 



being Clado7iia ra7igiferi7ia^ several species of Cor?iicularia 

 and Cetraria^ Stereocaulon pascale and Bryopogon jubatum). 

 These, when not too heavily covered with snow, are 

 obtained by digging with the hoofs and not by using 

 the nose for a snow shovel, as some people claim. During 

 the very heavy falls of snow all ground food is hidden from 

 them, they must then turn to the tree-growing mosses, such 

 as Sticla ptilmo?iaria and the common Usnea, or Old Man's 

 Beard, which hangs from the trees in graceful wind-blown 

 festoons as though arranged especially for the hunger- 

 driven creatures — a manna in the time of greatest need. 



The long winter passes slowly enough ; the herds, large 

 and small, have little excitement save when a party of 

 islanders come to them for their supply of winter meat. A 

 picturesque sight these men present, usually clad in white 

 so that they may stalk through the snow without being 

 seen, armed with every conceivable kind of firearm, from 

 old-fashioned sealing-guns to modern rifles. Bullets, shot, 

 or even nails are used, I am told. The method of hunting 

 is as simple as it is effective. When a large herd of 

 Caribou is found, the men conceal themselves along a line 

 some distance apart, while other men drive the herd toward 

 this line of hunters. The main part of the herd is allowed 

 to pass before shooting begins, so that each man helps to 

 drive the creatures on to the next gun. As every native is 

 allowed three Caribou, the drive has usually to be repeated 

 several times before each one has his full complement. 

 The great horror of it is that in the wild shooting which 

 takes place far more animals are wounded than killed. 

 The wounds inflicted by the irregular missiles must cause 

 untold agony, but winter is in some ways merciful and 

 death comes quickly to those who lose their strength in the 

 winter night. The wounded Caribou unable to keep up 



