THE WOODLAND CARIBOU 149 



peculiar castanet sound caused b}' the split hoofs of the 

 caribou striking together. 



The caribou feeds largely upon reindeer-moss, lich- 

 ens, shrubs, and grasses. The guides note well where 

 they are feeding, and where the feed is best, and are 

 usually able to conduct the sportsmen to the game, as, 

 in all big-game shooting, guides are almost indispensa- 

 ble, not only to find the game, but to prevent the 

 sportsman from getting lost in the woods and to at- 

 tend to many other matters already referred to. 



The caribou, when they have not been much hunted, 

 are comparatively tame, and not hard to approach. 

 Mr. Ward says when his haunts have been unmolested 

 he will imconcernedly trot up within range of the 

 rifle. He believes, however, that a great deal of this 

 apparent fearlessness is due to defective vision. There 

 are more places to-day, however, where the woodland 

 caribou has been exterminated than there are where he 

 is tame. In the inhospitable, uninhabited Arctic bar- 

 rens where his near relation is found, there, no doubt, 

 are places where comparatively tame caribou may be 

 found. Maine found it necessary to pass a law pro- 

 tecting the caribou for a term of six years from October 

 J 5, 1S99. They will be, no doubt, fairly abundant, and 

 at the end of the close period, for a few years at least, 

 it will not be difticult for the shooter to procure a 

 caribou trophy in the northern portions of that State. 

 The law will no doubt permit the killing of only one 

 male by a gun in one season. Since the moose and the 

 Virginia deer are found on many caribou-grounds, 

 the chances for a splendid bag are good. Any sports- 

 man should be satisfied with one of the larger animals 



