REIN-DEER, FALLOW-DEER, IRISH ELK. 291 



The Rein-deer is strictly a polar animal; it has never been 

 known to come further south in Europe than the Gulf of 

 Bothnia; and from Lapland it extends eastward along the 

 borders of the Arctic Sea, inhabiting many of the islands of the 

 Frozen Ocean, and even tenanting Spitzbergen, where Man. with all 

 his power of adaptation to climate, is unable to maintain a long 

 residence. Rein-deer, differing slightly from those of the Old 

 Continent, are found in North America ; but it is probable that 

 these are mere varieties, which have introduced themselves into 

 the New World, by journeying along the ice that connects it 

 with the nearest part of Asia. This valuable animal obtains its 

 subsistence in summer from the buds and twigs of the small 

 arctic shrubs ; and in winter from a lichen, which grows beneath 

 the snow, and which it digs up with its feet. In the wild state 

 it is gregarious ; and when domesticated, it readily associates 

 with its fellows into large herds, which are very obedient to the 

 directions of the herdsman. Many Laplanders possess no 

 less than two thousand of these animals ; and their wealth 

 is estimated by the number they possess, as that of the 

 Patriarchs of old, and of the Arabs of the present time, by the 

 amount of their flocks, herds, and camels. The Fallow-deer also 

 belongs to the group of Cervidas possessing flattened horns; 

 the species at present existing in the parks of this country, 

 appears to have been introduced from the south of Europe, 

 where it is occasionally to be met with in a wild state ; but 

 remains of a much larger species, now extinct, are not unfre- 

 quently met with in the peat bogs of Ireland and elsewhere, and 

 are commonly designated as those of the " Irish Elk/' The 

 antlers, however, are much less palmated (that is, flattened and 

 divided) than those of the true Elks ; but they spread very widely 

 apart, some of them having been found as much as thirteen feet 

 between the tips. Judging from specimens of which many of 

 the bones have been discovered, this animal must have stood 

 more than six feet high, and must have been more than nine 

 feet long. 



262. The species of Deer with round antlers are very nume- 

 rous, and are diffused through the temperate and tropical portions 



u 2 



