10 CLASS MAMMALIA. , 



into many branches, at first thin and pointed, 

 but which become by age terminated in enlarged 

 and indented palms. Its fur, brown in sum- 

 mer, becomes white in winter. The Rein-deer 

 inhabits none but the icy countries of the two 

 continents. This is the animal so celebrated 

 for the service the Laplanders derive from it. 

 They keep them in numerous troops, lead them 

 in summer into the mountains of their country, 

 and in winter bring them back to the plains, 

 make them beasts of burden and of draught, 

 eat their flesh, drink their milk, and clothe 

 themselves with their skin. 



The Fallow-Deer, (C. Dama, L.) Buff. £. xxvn. xxviii. 

 Less than our stag, in winter of a blackish- 

 brown, in summer yellow, spotted with white, 

 the buttocks white at all times, bordered on 

 each side with a black stripe, the tail longer 

 than that of the stag, black above, white under- 

 neath ; the horn of the male is round at the 

 base, with a pointed antler ; after a certain age 

 it increases, or becomes, as it were, patched, 

 and divided irregularly into many flat ramifi- 

 cations. This species, which is the Platiceros, 

 and not the Dama of the ancients, is common in 

 all the countries of Europe ; a black variety 

 without spots is sometimes found. 



The species with round horns are more numerous ; 

 those of temperate climates also change more or less 

 in colour during winter. 



