CHAPTER XIII. 



THE WILD REIN-DEER NUMBERS CURIOUS SPECULATION PORTRAIT 

 ANTLERS DULL OF SIGHT FOOD THE SARAKKA FAWNS CHASSE 

 ON SKIDOR STALKING THE VILD-REN HAGE THE PIT-FALL. 



THE Rein-deer (Ren, Sw ; Godde ; Potso, in Lappish; 

 Cervus Tarandus, Linn.) that in a wild state I speak of 

 is also an inhabitant of, or at least an occasional visitor to, 

 the upper parts of Dalecarlia. Formerly, as it is believed, 

 this animal was found throughout the greater part of Scandi- 

 navia ; but at the present day he is confined to the more 

 northern portion of the peninsula. In Norway he is met 

 with as low down as the 59 to 60; but in Sweden the 

 61 to 62 may be considered as his boundaries to the 

 southward. 



The wild rein-deer is pretty abundant in places, espe- 

 cially on some of the mountain ranges of Norway as, for 

 instance, on the Dovre, the Hardanger, and the Fille fja'll. 

 Some years ago, when traversing (though not on a sporting 



