20 AMERICAN GAME. 
have any of its peculiarities been noted down, such as 
the common indications of its stature, antlers, pelage, 
and color, much less its anatomical and osseous structure, 
so as to permit of any accurate comparison being drawn, 
or decision arrived at. : 
In proof of the loose way in which these self-styled 
descriptions of rare animals are drawn, in books of 
solemn pretension and supposed authority, I shall pro- 
ceed to quote the following from the Encyclopedia 
Americana—a work of which I can only say, that it is 
equally profuse of needless information on subjects trite 
to every Sophomore, and sparing of facts, such as require 
research and are required by men of ordinary reading, 
who will search its pages vainly for what on occasion 
they may need to ask it. . 
“ Reindeer”—says the authority. “These animals in- 
habit the Arctic Islands of Spitzbergen, and the northern 
extremity of the Old Continent, never having extended, 
according to Ouvier, to the southward of the Baltic. 
They have been long domesticated, and their appearance 
and habits are well described by naturalists. The Amer- 
ican Reindeer, or Cariboo, are much less generally 
known; they have, however, so strong a resemblance to 
the Lapland deer, that they have always been considered 
to be the same species, though the fact has never been 
completely established. The American Indians have 
never profited by the docility of this animal, to aid them 
in transporting their families and property, though they 
