32 THE NATUEALIST IN KOEWAY. 



Swedish naturalist Nilsson bases his conclusion from 

 the fact that fossil remains of reindeer have been found 

 in abundance in the marshy grounds in some parts of 

 Scania ; while in the whole expanse of country between 

 Scania and Lapland, no fossil remains of reindeer have 

 been found. 



There is a very fine specimen of the wild reindeer 

 in the Zoological Museum at Christiania, which was 

 obtained under rather interesting circumstances. The 

 Kings of Norway are still crowned in the cathedral of 

 Throndjem; and when the late King Oscar was re- 

 turning to Christiania, accompanied by his Queen, 

 after his coronation, due notice was, of course, sent to 

 the different post-stations en route, to request the post- 

 masters to be on the alert, and provide themselves 

 with something better than the fldd-krod and gammel- 

 ost, or old cheese, which are the staple articles of food 

 at all Norwegian post-stations. Now, at one station 

 on the royal journey, the postmaster was in a dilemma, 

 for he had no proper edibles to place before his royal 

 visitors. Fortunately, however, in this predicament, 

 some sportsmen in the neighbourhood killed a noble 

 reindeer, and loyally brought it as a gift to their king. 

 The present was gladly accepted, the royal table was 

 unexpectedly supplied with reindeer venison, and the 

 skin of the animal, an unusually fine one, was for- 

 warded to Christiania, when it was stuffed, and placed 

 in the Zoological Museum there, where it may still be 

 seen. 



It is an old but trite saying, " First catch your hare, 

 then cook it ;" and before hunting the reindeer, the 

 sportsman must learn something of its habits. The 

 wild reindeer leave but little " trail " behind them on 



