BARREN GROUND REINDEER. 139 



opening into the larynx : but I have met with no 

 account of a cyst with a duct opening externally, like 

 that described by j\Ir. Hutchins ; and, unfortunately. 

 Dr. R. was not aware of the alleged fact until his return 

 to England. If future investigation establishes the 

 fact of a different formation in these parts in the Eu- 

 ropean and the American reindeer, their distinction as 

 species will, in our opinion, be established beyond all 

 controversy. 



The Barren Ground Reindeer. 



Cervus (Tarandus) arctica, Richardson. Common Deer, Hearne. 

 Took-too, Esquimaux. Tukta, Greenlanders. 



This is the second race of reindeer found in the 

 arctic regions of America^ first distinctly made known 

 by Dr. Richardson, who says it is so small, and weighs 

 so little, " that I have seen a Canadian voyager throw a 

 full-grown doe over his shoulders, and carry it as an 

 English butcher would a sheep/' Neither this nor the 

 woodland race have ever been domesticated ; while the 

 European reindeer is well known to be the most do- 

 mestic animal of our northern nations. The habits and 

 the locality of this small animal are very different from 

 those of the wootUand species last described : it only 

 retires to the woods in winter ; and passes the summer 

 on the coasts of the Arctic Sea, and on the barren 

 grounds, where it feeds upon various lichens. In 

 jVIay the females proceed towards the sea coast, and are 

 followed by the males during the next month : the sun 

 having then dried up the lichens on the barren grounds, 

 the deer frequent the moist valleys of the arctic coast, 

 and pasture on the withered grass or hay of the preced- 

 ing year : this spring journey is performed partly on the 

 snow, and partly, after that has disappeared, on the ice. 

 In September they commence their return to the south, 

 and they reach the woods during the next month. 

 During this journey, which is performed after the snows 

 have fallen, a bountiful Providence provides them with 



