MAMMALS OF NORTHEEN CANADA 161 



who meets with one of these extraordinarly large moose is 

 sure to die within the year, or else meet with some grievous 

 misfortune."* 



The above may belong to the gigantic species recently 

 discovered on the western coast of Alaska, or they may be 

 representatives of those referred to by Mr. Moberly. I have 

 never met any of these monster moose, although, of course, 

 I have seen examples weighing considerably over the general 

 average. 



WooDLASD Caribou — Bangifer caribou (Gmelin). 



I do not think this species extends much beyond latitude 

 67° 30' north, except perhaps in spurs of the Eocky Moun- 

 tains to the west. It is a larger animal than the Barren 

 Ground reindeer, and is not met with in the " Barrens " 

 proper, nor on the shores of the Polar Sea. Like the latter, 

 the females produce one or two fawns in spring. The rutting 

 season, as well as the period of gestation and time of birth, 

 are said to be much the same as in the case of moose. The 

 eyes of the young are open when bom, the skin is light 

 brown, and they soon become quite lively and strong. They 

 are suckled for several months. The skin of the woodland 

 caribou is dressed by the native women and afterwards made 

 into necessary moccasins, gloves, tunics, and trousers, and 

 sometimes women's dresses. Those cut by the gadfly are 

 converted into " babiche " for lacing snow-shoes, and occa- 

 sionally into thongs of various thickness, which were form- 

 erly, if not now, twisted into snares for capturing deer. 

 Herds of the woodland species seldom exceed thirty or forty 

 individuals, except in the autumn, when sometimes quite a 

 large number congregate together. They do not associate 

 with the Barren Ground reindeer, and seldom quit the forest 

 country. Although known to exist at no great distance to 

 the south, we never, to my knowledge, received at Fort 



* Proc. U. S. National Museum, XIII, 1890, p. 307. 



