THE WILD REINDEER OF NORWAY. 13 



appellation of Bein-blum, or reindeer-flower, and 

 which only grows above the birch limit, about 

 3,700ft., and among the regions of perpetual snow, 

 where its pink and white flowers may constantly 

 be found during the summer and early autumn. 

 During the winter months the reindeer subsists 

 almost entirely on the well-known reindeer moss, 

 Cladonia rangiferina, which grows on nearly all 

 the higher parts of the fjeld, and in search of 

 which the deer in winter scrape up the snow to a 

 great depth. 



At the commencement of spring the reindeer 

 descend from the snowy ranges to the lower parts of 

 the sub- Alpine regions for the purpose of feeding 

 on the sweet young grass which then is springing 

 up ; but as soon as the weather becomes warm, and 

 the flies begin to appear and trouble them, they 

 return to the highest fjelds to escape the plague of 

 insects. The fawns are produced in May ; and, 

 unlike the generality of the deer tribe, are not 

 spotted, but when first born are of a reddish brown 

 colour. In August this changes to a blackish tint, 

 which gradually becomes dark grey. In the 

 adult deer the winter coat is extremely long and 

 thick, varying in hue from reddish brown to nearly 

 white. The males at this time have] a long ruff of 

 white hair on the neck and throat, which adds 

 much to their stately appearance. This thick coat 



