42 THE LAPLAND ALPS. 



the seventh namma lappotachis. After that 

 period no male is kept, they all perishing in 

 consequence of the exhaustion above men- 

 tioned, but the castrated ones live to a more 

 advanced age. None of these animals 

 however survive beyond their twelfth or 

 fourteenth year. When the castrated males 

 become very fat towards autumn, and show 

 signs of old age ; or the females, having 

 become barren, appear otherwise to be on 

 the decline, they are killed, by the knife, 

 in the close of the year; from an ap- 

 prehension that they might otherwise perish 

 of themselves from infirmity, in the course 

 of another season. 



Such of the male reindeer as are destined 

 to serve for a stock of provision, are killed 

 before the rutting-time, and their carcases 

 hung up to be exposed to the air and frost 

 before flaying. The flesh is smoked and a 

 httle salted, and then laid upon sledges to 

 dry in the sun, that it may keep through 

 the winter till spring. About the feast of 

 St. Matthias (Feb. 24.) the reindeer begin 



