AMERICAN CARIBOUS 



name, as might be surmised from its sound and spelling, 

 but a corruption of the two French words, " carre 

 bceuf " or square ox. So Mr. Maddison Grant, the 

 secretary of the New York Zoological Society, and one 

 of the latest authorities upon the reindeer tells us. It 

 is impossible to say much about deer without dwelling 

 long upon the antlers. " Ex cornubus cervum " might 

 almost, but not quite, nowadays be said. The horns 

 of the reindeer-caribou are noticeable for the extreme 

 development of the brow tine, which projects forward 

 over the face, and is often divided into many " points." 

 It has been asserted that this part of its armature is 

 meant for the peaceful purpose of shovelling away the 

 snow which covers its lichen foods. But more likely 

 seems the view that it is a defence against blinding 

 in the combats of the males in the breeding season. 

 Naturally the horns of the males being used for these 

 aggressive purposes are larger than those of the females ; 

 and indeed in the latter sex the horns are said to be 

 completely wanting in one race or at least in some 

 individuals. Besides the large brow tines and the 

 frequent palmation of the horns, the reindeer horns 

 are remarkable for the fact that there is generally a 

 large region without any branches whatsoever except 

 a small tine. This great expanse of unbranched horn 

 is eminently characteristic of the deer. As to " points," 

 i.e. the branches of the horns, forty appears to be the 

 outside number nowadays, though fifty are not quite 

 to be regarded as imaginary. The definition of a point, 

 according to Mr. Grant, " is a knob upon which a watch 

 can be hung." 



THE MOOSE OR ELK 



As another example of the deer tribe we may take 

 this the most striking member of that group. It is 

 a beast of noble appearance though somewhat leggy, and 



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