358 ANIMALS OF THE 



that country, can be performed only in winter, 

 when the snow is glazed over with ice ; and 

 although it be a very speedy method of convey- 

 ance, yet it is inconvenient, dangerous, and trou- 

 blesome. 



In order to make these animals more obedient, 

 and more generally serviceable, they castrate 

 them ; this operation the Laplanders perform 

 with their teeth : these become sooner fat when 

 taken from labour, and they are found to be 

 stronger in drawing the sledge. There is usually 

 one male left entire for every six females ; these 

 are in rut from the feast of St Matthew to about 

 Michaelmas. At this time their horns are tho- 

 roughly burnished, and their battles among each 

 other are fierce and obstinate. The females do 

 not begin to breed till they are two years old, and 

 then they continue regularly breeding every year 

 till they are superannuated. They go with young 

 above eight months, and generally bring forth two 

 at a time. The fondness of the dam for her 

 young is very remarkable ; it often happens that 

 when they are separated from her, she will return 

 from pasture, keep calling round the cottage for 

 them, and will not desist until, dead or alive, they 

 are brought and laid at her feet. They are at 

 first of a light brown, but they become darker 

 with age ; and at last the old ones are of a brown 

 almost approaching to blackness. The young 

 follow the dam for two or three years ; but they 

 do nof acquire their full growth until four. They 

 are then broke in, and managed for drawing the 

 sledge j and they continue serviceable for four or 



