370 



HOW THE REINDEER LIVE 



There is perhaps no animal in the world so useful to 

 man as the reindeer, at least none that can be put to 

 so many uses. The flesh of a sheep is eaten, and its 

 wool is woven into cloth ; but then we should never think 

 of harnessing a sheep even to a baby-carriage. A camel 

 serves, in the desert, the purpose of a van and of a riding 

 horse in one, and his hair makes warm and light garments ; 

 but he would give us a very nasty dinner, and the same 

 may be said of some other useful creatures. A reindeer, 

 however, is good to eat, and makes an excellent steed ; its 

 milk is nourishing ; the softer parts of its horns, when 

 properly prepared, are considered a delicacy ; the bones 

 are turned to account as tools ; the sinews are twisted 

 into thread, and, all the long winter, the skin and hair 

 keep the dwellers in the far north snug and warm. Take 

 away the reindeer, and the inhabitants of every country 

 north of latitude 60° — sometimes even south of it — would 

 feel as helpless as we should in England if there were 

 no more sheep or cows ! 



Eeindeers live, by choice, on the slopes of mountains, 

 and require no better food than the moss, or little Alpine 

 plants, which they find growing in the crevices of the 

 rock. Sometimes, in very cold places, or when the 

 winter is particularly severe, they take shelter in the 

 forests; but when spring is in the air once more, out they 

 come in great herds, thin and sore from the bites of 

 newly awakened insects, and wander away in search of 



