282 MANAGEMENT OF LAPP REINDEER. 



among rocks covered by it that one sees that they are 

 carpeted with a thick cohering of this plant, which a 

 stranger ignorant of its nature would certainly never 

 imagine to be an excellent and nourishing food. 



Reindeer are also known to be animals of a very 

 migratory nature. The tame Lapp deer, for instance, 

 has to be constantly changing its feeding grounds, 

 and the habits of their owners have to be governed 

 by the necessities of their deer. In summer, for instance, 

 like the Swiss shepherds, the Laplanders go up with 

 their deer to the high fjelds, and as pasturage becomes 

 scarce gradually descend to the lowlands, to wherever 

 wild land is to be found, and move down as the winter 

 advances to more southern districts, while later on 

 during spring tney go to the neighbourhood of the 

 sea. It is said that these tame deer can " draw about 

 300 Ibs. and are able to travel without difficulty 100 

 miles a day over the frozen snow, their broad, deeply- 

 cleft hoofs being admirably adapted for travelling over 

 such a surface." * We can thus understand how it 

 would be possible for them to travel quickly from 

 the far North, though men encumbered with heavily 

 laden sledges might not be able to make much 

 headway. 



The Caribou, or wild American variety (Rangifer 

 Caribou) is likewise known to migrate in vast herds 

 into the northern wilds during summer, returning 

 again in winter to more temperate regions, and the 

 Hudson Bay Voyageurs relate wonderful stories of the 

 almost incredible distances they will accomplish in the 

 24 hours. Mr. Warburton Pike, who witnessed one of 

 their migrations in October i88g, from the barren 



* See Encycl. Brit., gth Edition, Vol. vii., p. 24. (Art. "Deer"). 



