304 BRITISH MAMMALS 



and large, with well-developed false hoofs and very large splay 

 main hoofs. 



The antlers are of remarkable appearance, but vary a good 

 deal according to race. They rise from low pedicles just behind 

 the eyes, and close to the junction with the pedicle throw out 

 two long palmated tines, which overhang the long nose, lying 

 almost parallel with it in forward direction. A short distance 

 above the point at which these frontal tines branch forth 

 over the nose rises another tine, also palmated. Then comes 

 (in some forms) a great sweep of smooth, round antler, which 

 only throws off on the under side one small tine before it gives 

 the final palmation. In one of the Arctic American types the 

 horns may be much simplified. The second tine above that 

 which grows over the nose is a simple prong, and not palmated, 

 and grows so close to the frontal tine as to be partly fused with 

 it. The beam of the rest of the horn is extremely long before 

 it is broken by the final tines, which are but little palmated. 



It is very difficult to classify the reindeer type of antler, or 

 to say from what more primitive stock it was derived. It is 

 quite conceivable that it could have been derived from the same 

 type of antler (such as in the extinct Cervalces) that gave rise to 

 the horns of the elk. The position' of the frontal tines suggests 

 relationship (probably quite fallaciously) with the Elaphine (red 

 deer) group. On the whole, perhaps, the reindeer's nearest 

 relation is the elk. It is rather an old type of deer, and made 

 its first appearance early in the Pleistocene period, but apparently 

 a little later than the elk, traces of which are to be met with in 

 the Pliocene. The present distribution of the reindeer is con- 

 fined to Sweden and Norway, Russia, Siberia, Spitzbergen, the 

 Arctic regions of North America, Greenland, Northern and Eastern 

 Canada, the extreme north-eastern part of the United States, and 

 Newfoundland. The range of the reindeer in Europe was very 

 different a few centuries ago. It was still found along the 

 southern shores of the Baltic in the sixteenth century, and about 

 the same time in Poland. At the beginning of the Christian era 

 it was (on the authority of Cassar) met with as far south as the 



