1902.] REINDEER SKULL FROM XOVAIA ZEMLIA. 361 



the Spitzbergen Reindeer, of which a head is figured in Murray's 

 ' Geographical Distribution of Mammals,' p. 154, fig. 9 '. In that 

 race the antlers are smaller and lighter, usually with less palmation 

 of the lirow-tine, and with the bez-tine simple. The summit of 

 tlie antler is, moi-eover, devoid of palmation. 



In the (Sibei'ian Reindeer {Rangifer tarandus sihiricus) as typi- 

 fied by the heads figured in Muiiuy's ' Geographical Distribution 

 of Mammals,' p. 153, the palmation of the brow- and bez-tines 

 is less marked than in tlie present specimen, and in one case at 

 least these tines are unsymmeti-ical. The same condition obtains 

 in the antlers of a Reindeer skidl in the British Museum from 

 " Siberia" which approximates to the American woodland race. 



Turning to American Reindeer, or Cai-ibou, of which a great 

 number of local phases are now recognized, the Novaia Zemlian 

 specimen seems to me to come nearest as i-egards relative length 

 of antlers to forms like the Alaskan Rangifer tarandus stonei '\ 

 intermediate l>etween the true woodland and the trixe liari'en- 

 ground type. The present antlers differ, however, markedly from 

 those of the Alaskan i-ace by tlie much greatei- palmation of the 

 summit, the much more develoj^ed back- tine, and the greater 

 symmetry between the brow- and bez-tines of opposite sides. 

 Fi'om R. t. osbo7-ni^, of the Oassiar Mountains — another of the 

 intermediate types — they difter by tlie smallei- length of beam, 

 as well as in the greater palmation, althougli both show a large 

 back-tine. Fi-om R. t. montamos \ which more closely resembles 

 the woodland type, as well as from the true woodland, the New- 

 foundland, and the barren-ground races, the Novaia, Zemlian form 

 is markedly distinct, although it is decidedly nearer to the wood- 

 land than to the barren-ground type. 



On these grounds, coupled with its insular habitat, I feel little 

 hesitation in regarding the Novaia Zemlian Reindeer as forming 

 a distinct local race (American naturahsts would probably consider 

 it a, species) ; and 1 propose to call it Rangifer tarandus jjearsoni, 

 after the owner of the type specimen here figured. It may be 

 briefly characterized as distinguislied from other Old World forms 

 of Reindeer by the symmetry of the antlers and the excessive 

 palmation of both their brow- and bez-tines and their summits, 

 r may add that Baron Nordenskicild has suggested that, the Novaia 

 Zemlia Reindeei- reach that island from more noi-thei-n lands by 

 crossing the ice. 



I i-egret to say that Mr. Pearson is at present unwilling to pait 

 with the type specimen ; but it may be lioped that he will make 

 arrangements whei-eby it will eventually come to the National 

 collection. 



Mr. Pearson infoi'ms me that the animal to which the type 

 skull belonged was killed in the winter of 1894-95, near the hut 



1 The antlers figured l)y Camerano, Mem. Ac. Torino, vol. li. pi. ii. (1901), are 

 stated by Winoe (Meddelelser <nii Groiiland, vol. xxi. p. 457) to come from Grconlniul. 



2 See J. A. Allen, Bull. Ainer. Mus. vol. xiv. p. 145 (1901). 



■^ Allen, ,ij). cit. vol. xvi. p. 11-9 (1902). ^ Allen, Inc. rif. 



