NOTES ON NEWFOUNDLAND. 273 



narrow, and take directions as various as the winds, 

 giving the whole country a chequered appearance. Of 

 the millions of acres here, there is no one spot exceeding 

 a few superficial yards that is not bounded on all sides 

 by deer paths. We, however, met some small herds 

 only of these animals, the savannas and plains being in 

 the summer season deserted by them for the mountains 

 in the west part of the island. The Newfoundland deer, 

 and there is only one species in the island, is a variety of 

 the reindeer (Cervus tarandus, or cariboo) ; and, like that 

 animal in every other country, it is migratory, always 

 changing place with the seasons, for sake of its favourite 

 kinds of food. Although they migrate in herds, they 

 travel in files, with their heads in some degree to wind- 

 ward, in order that they may, by the scent, discover 

 their enemies the wolves ; their senses of smelling and 

 hearing are very acute, but they do not trust much to 

 their sight. This is the reason of their paths taking so 

 many directions in straight lines ; they become in con- 

 sequence an easy prey to the hunter by stratagem. The 

 paths tend from park to park through the intervening 

 woods, in lines as established and deep beaten as cattle- 

 paths on an old grazing farm.'' 



Occupying nearly a month in toiling through the 

 savanna country, the latter portion of his journey being 

 impeded by deep snow, and living in an uncertain 

 manner on deer's meat, beaver, geese, and ducks, Mr. 

 Cormack further writes on approaching the western coast 

 at the end of October : — 



" We met many thousand of the deer, all hastening to 

 the eastward, on their periodical migration. They had 

 been dispersed since the spring, on the mountains and 



