THE AMERICAN REINDEER. 133 



America is far less migratory in its habits than the larger 

 species, and with the musk-sheep (ovibos) remains in the 

 same localities throughout the year. 



In forest districts, in many parts of its range over the 

 Northern American continent, the cariboo is found to- 

 gether with the moose in the same woodlands. They 

 appear, however, to avoid each other's company ; and I 

 have observed in following the tracks of a travelling band 

 of cariboo, that, on passing a fresh moose-yard, they have 

 broken into a trot — a sure sign of alarm. In many 

 districts, especially those in which the existing southern 

 limits of the cariboo are marked, this animal is gradually 

 disappearing, whilst the moose is taking its place. To a 

 great extent this is the result of an increasing settlement 

 of the country by man. The moose is a much more 

 domestic animal in its habits, and wiU remain and 

 multiply in any small forest district, however the latter 

 may be surrounded by roads or settlements ; whereas the 

 cariboo is a great wanderer, and requires long and 

 unbroken ranges of wild country in which he can 

 uninterruptedly indulge his vagrant habits. Being more- 

 over more jealous of the advance of civilisation than the 

 moose, he is surely disappearing as his old lines of 

 periodic migration are encroached upon and broken by 

 new settlements and their connecting roads. 



In winters of great severity the cariboo always travel 

 to the southernmost limits of their haunts, which 

 they occasionally exceed, and enter the settlements. 

 Some years ago, during an unusually cold winter, the 

 deer crossed in large bands from Labrador into New- 

 foundland over the frozen straits. As assumed by Dr. 

 Gray, a variety appears to be established in the case of 



