FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



Mountain Caribou.^ — Rangifer monta^ius Seton-Thompson. 

 Very much larger than the Woodland Caribou — reaching 

 weights of 500-600 pounds. Color above, deep, glossy, 

 blackish brown, nearly black on legs; dull grayish brown on 

 neck; grayish white on belly, buttocks, and underside of 

 tail; narrow white band above each hoof. Total length, 

 95 inches; tail vertebras, 5 inches; hind foot, 26 inches; 

 height at shoulder, 47 inches. Antlers reach 61 inches in 

 length along the beam. Found in the Selkirk Range of 

 British Columbia south in the Rockies to Montana, Idaho, 

 and Washington, north to meet the range of osborni. 



Osbom Caribou. — Rangifer osborni Allen. 



A very large, if not the largest, Caribou, reaching a weight 

 of 700 pounds and a height at shoulder of nearly 60 inches; 

 antlers enormous, massive, and flattened. Upperparts 

 clove-brown, darkest on head and back, and blackish brown 

 on breast and legs; neck brownish gray, lightest on sides; 

 underparts grayish white to pure white on belly and inside 

 of hind legs; a narrow white band above each hoof. Total 

 length, 90 inches; tail vertebrae, 6 inches; hind foot, 25.5 

 inches. Found in the Cassiar Mountains of British Colum- 

 bia north to the Yukon district. 



Rocky Mountain Caribou. — Rangifer for tidens Hollister. 



Probably the largest of all the Caribou; antlers thickset and 

 heavily palmated; main beam nearly straight; color very 

 dark, from rich seal-brown to black; white on rump, on 

 edges of tail ; grayish brown on neck ; females said to often 

 lack antlers. Total length, 95 inches; tail vertebras, 6 

 inches; hind foot, 27 inches. Found in the Mt. Robson 

 region of British Columbia and Alberta. _ 



McGuire Caribou. — Rangifer mcguirei Figgins. 



Resembling osborni and stonei but differing in type of 

 antlers; general coloration light brown; sides drab; legs 

 darker, sides of neck and throat whitish. Total length, 100 

 inches; tail vertebrae, 9 inches; hind foot, 26 inches. Found 

 in the vicinity of the Alaska- Yukon boundary from the base 

 of Mt. St. Elias northward. 



Barren Ground Caribou 



Characterized by smaller body size, light antlers with three 

 or four palmations, and pale color. The Old World Reindeer 

 belongs in this group. 



Barren Ground Caribou. — Rangifer arcticus arcticus (Rich- 

 ardson), 

 Much smaller than the Woodland Caribou. Total length, 

 76 inches; tail vertebrae, 6 inches; hind foot, 20.5 inches; 

 height at shoulder, 42 inches; weight about 300 pounds. 

 Winter pelage is noticeably paler than summer. Winter: 



530 



