329 THE REIN-DEER. 



out to be distinct from either the other inhabitants of 

 America or those of Europe. Horns of another allied deer 

 are described by Major Smith, under the title of C. corona- 

 tus. The horns of this variety are known to differ from 

 the others. 



The barren-ground caribou of Dr. Richardson is dis- 

 tributed over the fur countries, and passes the summer on 

 the shores of the Arctic Sea. This is an animal of a small 

 size, weighing, when in good condition, and without the 

 offal, from ninety to one hundred and thirty pounds. Dur- 

 ing summer they migrate to the coast, and feed on the 

 young shoots of the grasses which commence to spring up 

 in the sheltered arctic valleys. In a wild state, this animal 

 is no less necessary for the support of the native tribes, than 

 it is to the Laplanders in Europe. " The Chepewyans, 

 the Copper Indians, the Dogribs, and Hare Indians of 

 Great Bear Lake," Dr. Richardson remarks, " would be 

 totally unable to inhabit these frozen grounds, were it not 

 for the immense herds of deer that exist there. Of the 

 caribou horns they form their fish-spears and hooks ; and, 

 previous to the introduction of European iron, ice-chisels 

 and various other utensils were also made of them. The 

 hide, dressed with the fur, is excellent for winter clothing, 

 and supplies the place of both blanket and feather-bed to 

 the inhabitant of the arctic wilds. It also forms a soft and 

 pliable leather, adapted for moccasins and summer cloth- 

 ing; or, when sixty or seventy skins are sewed together, 

 they make a tent sufficient for the residence of a large 

 family. The shin-bone of the deer, split so as to present 

 a sharp edge, is the knife that is used to remove the hair 

 in the process of making the leather. The undressed hide, 

 after the hair is taken off, is cut into thongs of various thick- 

 ness, which are twisted into deer-snares, bow-strings, net- 

 lines, and in fact supply all the purposes of rope. The 

 finer thongs are used in the manufacture of fishing-nets, or 

 in making snow-shoes ; while the tendons of the dor- 



