98 HOOFED ANIMALS 



a creature of treeless and inhospitable regions, and is so inde- 

 pendent of the conditions which are essential to the existence 

 of all round-horned members of the Deer Family, that its 

 desolate home has been inseparably connected with its pop- 

 ular name. Species may come and species may go, but we 

 hope that the brave and hardy Barren Ground Caribou will 

 go on forever. 



It is natural that in any animal species which ranges from 

 the east coast of Greenland to the west coast of Alaska (3,500 

 miles in an air-line), and from Grant Land to the Churchill 

 River (1,800 miles), some variations in form, color and horn 

 architecture should occur. Indeed, in a range so immense, 

 it could scarcely be otherwise. While it is probable that some 

 of these variations justify the creation of specific divisions, 

 we are at present less concerned with these details than with 

 a consideration of the group as a whole. Moreover, it may 

 be said with entire truth that naturalists have but recently 

 begun to study the Caribou of America; and until far more 

 material has been gathered, it is impossible to set forth the 

 true status and life history of this genus. 



The characters which serve to distinguish Barren Ground 

 Caribou from the Woodland groups have already been pointed 

 out, — smaller size, antlers that are longer in the main beam, 

 less palmated and with fewer points. The following forms 

 have been described as independent species of this group; 

 but whether all of them are entitled to specific rank remains 

 to be seen. 



