28 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



the valleys, where it can more easily obtain food. 

 It feeds on lichens, leaves, and berries, and is 

 especially fond of cranberries. The animal is 

 hunted by stalking, still-hunting, and on snow- 

 shoes, and of late years its numbers in many 

 districts have become greatly reduced. 



No instance is known of the domestication of 

 the \\'Oodland Caribou, but the following inci- 

 dent is related of an attempt in this direction ^ 



y^ ""^"rt-y i^ji 



IS 



The flesh of this Caribou makes excellent veni- 

 son and is much used by the northern Indians. 

 In gait it resembles the Elk and Moose more 

 than the smaller Deer. It travels with a long 

 swinging trot, and goes much faster than it 

 appears. The Caribou has good bottom and can 

 travel great distances vi'ithout a halt, so that it is 

 almost useless to try and follow a band when 

 once they have taken the alarm. 







WOODLAND CARIBOU 

 This animal has recently shed its horns, and is not altogether happy about it 



'' The proprietor of a camp in the Alaine woods 

 had been much teased about the loss of useful 

 labor he was incurring through not taming the 

 Woodland Caribou. Shortly after, having trapped 

 two fine animals, he proceeded to attach a rein, 

 in the shape of a lasso, to one of the tmtamed 

 creatures. Unfortunately, the Caribou reversed 

 the order of things and taught the trainer a 

 lesson. Slipping the lasso to his flanks, he made 

 a bound of twenty feet, carrying his trainer like 

 the tail of a kite, in a straight line after him. 

 He dropped him, only to make a second leap, 

 and a third finished the business." 



The camp proprietor picked himself up, 

 bruised from head to foot, and this was his first 

 and last attempt at taming Woodland Caribou. 



Like the Antelope, the Caribou sometimes ex- 

 hibits curiosity. Mr. Ward, referring to this 

 says : " The indifference or curiosity with regard 

 to the noise of firearms exhibited by the Cari- 

 bou often stands the hunter in good stead and 

 affords him a chance for a second shot, should 

 the first prove ineffectual; for it is not uncom- 

 mon for a herd to stand stock-still on hearing 

 the report of a gun, even when one of their 

 number has fallen a victim thereto. The pause 

 is but for an instant, and the hunter must be 

 quick to take advantage of it, or his chance will 

 be gone before he is aware of it, for, recovering 

 quickly from the shock or alarm, or whatever 

 it may be, the herd will dash off at a rattling 

 pace." 



