THE WILD EEINDEER OF NORWAY. 91 



of Mineralogy at the Christiania University) who spent 

 his youth in these parts, and had been, moreover, 

 a very skilful hunter, that he once saw a herd 

 numbering between 5,000 and 10,000 ! Such sights 

 are of course rare, and perhaps less common now than 

 ever. 



In that extensive mountain tract which includes the 

 highest fjelds of Norway, between Gudbrandsdal, Val- 

 ders, and Bergen Stiffc, by the Bygdin and Gjendin 

 Lakes, and on Laesjo and the Eomsdal Fjeld, large herds 

 of reindeer may be found the whole year round ; and it 

 is no uncommon sight in the autumn to see herds 

 numbering several thousands, whilst on the Kundene 

 and on the Dovre Fjeld, between Hallingdal and 

 Leerdal, herds of from 300 to 1,000 deer are frequently 

 seen. 



It often happens that, owing to wind and weather, 

 the too-frequent attention of hunters, and the incessant 

 persecutions of their old enemies the wolves, the 

 reindeer entirely disappear from one district and appear 

 in preponderating numbers in another. 



Although, as above stated, they are to be found on 

 all the high lands from the North Cape to Saetersdal 

 (i.e., through 10 of latitude), yet it is especially 

 in the great continuous mountain ranges or plateaux, 

 where the snow lies the summer through on the fjeld 

 sides, that the reindeer properly have their home. 



