08 NATURAL HISTORY. 



Individuals vary much in tint as well as with the season. Some are entirely white, whilst in 

 winter the coat is always lighter than in summer. Deep brown is the prevailing tint, and there 

 is generally a band of white above each hoof. As in the Elk another Arctic ruminating animal 

 the muffle of the nose is covered with hair, and is not moist. The fur is of two sorts an outer 

 covering of longer, harsh, brittle hair, and an under-coat of closely-matted and much finer, wool-like 

 texture, which serves as an excellent protection against the inclement temperature, and makes the 

 skins so valuable for articles of clothing in the Arctic regions. 



The antlers are strikingly large for the size of their owners. Although they vary considerably 

 in detail, the general plan of their construction is always the same, agreeing with that of the Vir- 

 ginian Deer and the Barasingha. As in the Wapiti and Red Deer, the brow-antlers on each side are, 

 however, re-duplicated, so that a bez is present. This, as well as the brow-tyne, is branched, or 

 palmated, wherein it is peculiar ; and further, in the Caribous one of the brow-tynes is generally 

 aborted, in order to allow of the great development of its fellow of the opposite side into a palmated 

 triangle, flattened from side to side, directed straight forward in the middle line of the head, and 

 attached by its apex to the beam. The function of this share-like expansion in the economy of the 

 animal can hardly be other than to remove the snow which covers its favourite food, each move- 

 ment of the lowered head from side to side effecting this result. The beam is lengthy, curved boldly 

 upwards and forwards, with a small snag at the back, about half-way from each end. Its 

 extremity is branched and often palmated, much like the horns of the Fallow Deer. The beam may 

 reach a length not more than three inches less than five feet. In the females the same plan of 

 structure of the antlers exists as in the males. They are considerably smaller in every respect, more 

 slender, and scarcely palmated, if at all so. 



The Woodland Caribou and the Barren-ground Caribou are the names given to a larger and 

 a smaller breed in Canada. Both are hunted by the Indians for their flesh as well as for their 

 hides, the venison obtained from the latter being held in high estimation. The pounded meat, when 

 mixed with melted fat, is known as pemmican. The tongue is esteemed a great delicacy. 



The Reindeer, from the nature of the country it inhabits, is compelled to lead a migratory life, 

 in which the natives of Lapland, who have to depend entirely for their sustenance on the animal, have 

 to participate. Troops of them during the winter months reside in the woods, feeding on the 

 lichens that depend from boughs of the trees, as well as on those that grow upon the ground 

 beneath. In the spring they repair to the mountains in order to escape the swarms of stinging 

 Gnats and Gad-flies which infest the air, and inflict wounds in the skin of most serious severity. 



THE AMERICAN DEER. 



In America there are several species of Deer which differ considerably from those of the Old 

 World. In our remarks on these animals we will not include among them the Wapiti and the Elk : 

 the Wapiti, because it is nothing but a large representative of the Red Deer of Great Britain ; 

 the Elk, because it stands very much by itself, at the same time that it is found in the Arctic 

 Old World as well as in America. We ourselves think that the Reindeer conforms to the American 

 type of structure, and have therefore described it in relation with the New World Deer, although most 

 authors class it not far from the Elk. 



None of the typical Deer of America attain any considerable size, and their antlers are decidedly 

 small when contrasted with those of the Old World. The species which will be first described is 

 the VIRGINIAN DEER, which is the " Common " Deer of North America, and is slightly smaller than 

 the Fallow Deer. Its colour is uniform, being of a reddish-yellow in summer and light grey in 

 winter. The individual members of the species are small in Mexico, and get larger as they live more 

 north. The antlers belong to the extreme rucervine type, their beams turning outwards and forwards 

 in a very characteristic manner, with several points directed upwards from their convex border. The 

 brow-tyne is short and pointed upwards instead of forwards. The tail is nearly a foot and a half in 

 length. In disposition it is timid and wild, and is therefore domesticated with difficulty. Its flesh 

 was in times gone by one of the staple articles of food of the aborigines. Audubon and other 

 authors have described in detail the various modes employed in capturing these Deer, including the 

 " still hunt," "jack hunt," " fire hunt," &c., according to the nature of the country. 



