LABRADOR JOURNAL 277 



tu discover that any beast in this country would 

 eat alexander, except black-bears, which are A^ery 

 fond of it. Rein-deer do not seem to relish grass 

 much, yet 1 have seen mine eat a little, and it gen- 

 erally preferred the coarsest kinds. 1 have often 

 observed, that in the latter end of April and in 

 the month of Mav, the wild ones eat little else be- 

 sides dry grass and wild r^^e, which then appear 

 through the snow. They affect great variety in 

 their food, while things are in a growing state; 

 preferring the youngest and most juicy. This 

 causes them to varv their food everv month; and 

 also several times on the same day, accordingly 

 as it is moist or dry; rejecting now^ what an hour 

 ago they preferred to every thing else. The 

 leaves of the dogberry ^ bush when young, and a 

 tender plant wdiich growls by hill sides on moist 

 ground, resembling cross lettuce, as also a succu- 

 lent, aquatic plant wdiich growls in ponds, all these 

 they devour most greedily. Tliere is a small pond 

 near this house w^hich is full of the latter, and this 

 deer of mine has eaten it close down to the w^ater. 

 I think T have seen the same kind of plaiit in the 

 Highlands of Scotland, and is what they use there 

 ill tlicir ])('('!', instead of hops. They also delight 

 to eat young leaves of most sorts of trees and 

 shru})S whicli have not a resinous juice; ]inrti<'U- 

 larly the willow: l)ut T have knowm them eat the 



' The name doKberry is applied to a species of Koosoberry, Rihes Cy- 

 noatnili, to the bhwk chokeberry, P]/rus mdanocnrixt, mii'I to the moun- 

 tain JLsh, P]iTUH nmcrirmin. The hi.st naniecl species f^:irt\\riM;ht recoRnized 

 by its proper name, the first he would h.-ive r:i!lcd ;i nooselierry. Whether 

 the black chokeberry occurH in Labrador or not, 1 do not know. 



