356 MR. R. BROWN ON THE MAMMALS OF GREENLAND. [May 28, 



(or at least had a few years ago) more than 60,000 lbs. of it lying 

 on the ground in a heap *. 



I have gone into the history of the Reindeer in Greenland at 

 some length, because I found that though the Reindeer in Lapland 

 is familiar to many, yet the animal in its wild state is much less 

 known, and I have seen most erroneous statements regarding its dis- 

 tribution in Greenland. 



12. [Ovis ARIES, Linn. 

 Grcenl. Sana. 



At present it is only known in the district of Julianeshaab, to the 

 number of between twenty and thirty. It was already introduced 

 in Fabricius's day. In the summer they feed in the valleys, and in 

 the winter are kept under shelter. They cannot, therefore (nor, in- 

 deed, can any of the colonist fauna), be said to be acclimatized.] 



13. [Bos TAURUS, Liiui. 

 Grcenl. Umimak. 



At present there are thirty or forty grazing about in the southern 

 valleys during the summer, and kept at stall in the winter. Some of 

 the more enterprising natives also keep a few cows. I was told by 

 the Danish residents that though there was quite enough grass 

 occasionally found round the settlements in the summer, even further 

 north, they could not be kept on account of the dogs. The old 

 Icelandic Sagas describe the Norsemen as keeping herds of cattle in 

 the valleys of Greenland up to the Middle Ages ; and I have no 

 doubt of the accuracy of the statement. The place where they 

 prosper best now is just on the site of one of these ancient colonies. 

 If they left any behind them when the colonies were exterminated by 

 the Eskimo, who about this period make their appearance in South 

 Greenland, they must have died out, or, more Hkely, were slaugh- 

 tered by the natives (if a people who, to all appearance, were only 

 wandering hordes who had now for the first time crossed Melville 

 Bay from the north, can be so styled) ; for when Greenland was 

 again visited by the Europeans no cattle were found. It is some- 

 what curious that the Greenlanders apply the Eskimo name of the 

 Musk-Ox to the domestic Ox, showing a recollection of the exist- 

 ence of the former in the land they came from, though it is no 

 longer a native of Greenland to the south of Cape York.] 



14. [Capra hircus, Linn. 

 Grcenl. Sauarsuk. 



As far back as the days of Fabricius, the Goat had been intro- 

 duced into the southern settlements of Greenland, and was found 

 profitable ; they feed on the grass which springs about the old 



• For many of the foregoing statements I am indebted to Dr. Rink, Royal 

 Inspector of South Greenland, whose work (CTronland Geographisk og Statistisk, 

 Ac) is the standard on all subjects connected with that country. 



