DOMESTICATION OF RUMINATING MAMMALS 327 



decided to ship the reindeer from the north coast of Lap- 

 land to the mission station of St. Anthony in north New- 

 foundland. The herd set sail on December 30, 1907, but, 

 owing to ice conditions, it was necessary to land them on 

 the Newfoundland coast about eight miles from the har- 

 bour selected as the wintering-place for the deer. Lapp 

 herders accompanied the deer, which were safely landed and 

 took kindly to their new environment. 



In the following spring (1908) the herd was reduced to 

 200 does and 50 stags, 50 of the deer having been sold to the 

 Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company, 300 miles to 

 the south of the place where the herd was maintained, for 

 use in the logging camps. As far as it was possible to as- 

 certain, 168 fawns were born in the spring. After deduct- 

 ing certain losses, the number of reindeer had increased to 

 405 animals by the end of 1908. During the summer the 

 reindeer chose the high grass-covered hills close to the sea, 

 and ate mostly the young grass and green leaves. The does 

 gave about a pint of very rich creamy milk per head. 



The herd increased from 250 to 1,250, but, owing to the 

 lack of government support, either financially or in checking 

 the poaching, which gradually increased, the subsequent 

 history of these reindeer was a sad one. As the expenses of 

 the Lapp herders could not be met, it was impossible to 

 retain them. Instead of creating a reservation for the rein- 

 deer from Pistolet Bay to Hare Bay, the killing of reindeer 

 north of that line was prohibited, but the prohibition was 

 not enforced. It was claimed that the reindeer were '' dan- 

 gerous to life," and other objections were raised in order to 

 create a local sentiment antagonistic to the animals. In 

 the end the poaching became so bold that the fishermen, 

 coming in the summer in schooners, used to go out and 

 shoot the deer. Thus a gradual diminution in the herd 

 took place, until, by the end of 1916, hardly more than 100 

 animals remained. 



