Feb., 191 2. Mammals or Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 83 



killed near Ralph, Michigan, in November, 1905, about 18 miles from 

 here." Mr. E. G. Kingsford of Iron Mountain, Michigan, writes, ''I 

 have a fine pair of horns of a Caribou that was killed near Lake Ver- 

 million, St. Louis County, Minnesota, in 1897, or about that time, so 

 I think there is no reason why it should not have been found in the 

 northwestern part of Wisconsin." 



Miles includes it in his list of Michigan mammals and there is no 

 question that in early days the species w^as not uncommon on Isle 

 Roy ale. Baird and Gillman record it from there and the former 

 figures a pair of antlers found on the Island {I.e., p. 634). It is probable 

 that it still occurs more or less regularly on Isle Royale, as Adams 

 reports four Caribou having been seen by trappers in that locality on 

 March 27, 1904; and on April 16, 1905, nine were seen on the ice near 

 Rock Harbor {I.e., p. 396). These animals had undoubtedly crossed 

 on the ice from the main land, as the species is not uncommon in parts 

 of northern Minnesota and along the north shore of Lake Superior.* 



The Woodland Caribou is naturally a forest dweller frequenting 

 the vicinity of water. During the greater part of the year it is usually 

 found in small bands, and even during the semiannual migrations in 

 spring and fall, when most of these animals move north or south, they 

 do not congregate in such great herds as do their northern congeners. 

 It has been claimed by several writers that more than a dozen or fifteen 

 of these animals are rarely found together. This is probably true in 

 many localities where Caribou are comparatively^ scarce; but the 

 statement can hardly be considered accurate, if applied to the species 

 as a whole. Macfarlane says, "Herds of the woodland species seldom 

 exceed thirty or forty individuals, except in the autumn, when some- 

 times a large number congregate together ";t and I have been told 

 by old hunters that in the vicinity of English River (north of Lake 

 Superior) in early days herds of fifty or more were not uncommon. 



The food of the Woodland Caribou largely consists of ''Caribou 

 moss" {Cladonia) and other lichens, in addition to which, in the sum- 

 mer season, they eat aquatic plants and leaves and buds of various 

 kinds. 



One or two fawns are born late in May or in June. The young 

 when first born are usually unspotted, but occasionally have a few 

 irregular whitish spots on the body, which are but faintly indicated 

 and disappear at an early age. 



A noticeable peculiarity of these animals is the clicking sound made 



* Miller states that in 1896 Caribou were abundant on the north shore of Lake 

 Superior; he saw heads, antlers, and jaws of these animals at White River, Peninsular 

 Harbor, Schrerber, and Nepigon (/. c, p. 40). 



t Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXVIII, 1905, p. 680. 



