HABITS OF THE CARIBOU. 207 



THE CARIBOU AND HIS HABITS. 



Though the preceding pages have not been written 

 from the standpoint either of historian or naturalist, 

 it may not be considered amiss to note in detail some 

 of the habits of the noble game which formed the 

 principal subject of the work, and led the author and 

 his friends to visit the distant island. 



The North American Caribou, Ranyifer Tarandus, 

 is the only member of the deer family whose females 

 have horns. This peculiarity has led to the impres- 

 sion with many that all doe caribou possess these ap- 

 pendages, which is far from being correct the fact 

 being that such are the exceptions, not the rule. 

 While we saw during our stay in the White Hills 

 over nine hundred of these noble animals by actual 

 count, we were at one time fearful that all would not 

 get a specimen of the female bearing horns. Like the 

 stags, they shed their horns once a year, though much 

 later in the season. Their antlers are usually quite 

 regular, and about the same size in all specimens. 

 The caribou is powerfully built, with deep broad 

 shoulders, short neck, short clean large-boned legs 

 and broad feet. In the late fall and winter they are 

 almost white, with bluish spots on the sides which 

 give them a dappled gray appearance. The hair is 

 finer, more flexible and less brittle than that of any 



