THE WILD REINDEER OF NORWAY. 91 
of Mineralogy at the Christiania University) who spent 
his youth in these parts, and had been, moreover, 
a very skilful hunter, that he once saw a_ herd 
numbering between 5,000 and 10,000! Such sights 
are of course rare, and perhaps less common now than 
ever. 
In that extensive mountain tract which includes the 
highest fjelds of Norway, between Gudbrandsdal, Val- 
ders, and Bergen Stift, by the Bygdin and Gjendin 
Lakes, and on Lesjo and the Romsdal Fjeld, large herds 
of reindeer may be found the whole year round; and it 
is no uncommon sight in the autumn to see herds 
numbering. several thousands, whilst on the Rundene 
and on the Dovre Feld, between MHallingdal and 
Leerdal, herds of from 500 to 1,000 deer are frequently 
seen. 
It often happens that, owing to wind and weather, 
the too-frequent attention of hunters, and the incessant 
persecutions of their old enemies the wolves, the 
reindeer entirely disappear from one district and appear 
in preponderating numbers in another. 
Although, as above stated, they are to be found on 
all the high lands from the North Cape to Setersdal 
(z.e., through 10° of latitude), yet it is especially 
in the great continuous mountain ranges or plateaux, 
where the snow lies the summer through on the fjeld 
sides, that the reimdeer properly have their home. 
