Quadrupeds. 3103 



Notes on Observations in Natural History during a Tour in Norway. 

 By the Rev. Alfred Charles Smith, M.A. 



(Continued from page 3086). 



The Reindeer, {Cervus Tarandus). I had started to see the two 

 falls of the Feigura Foss, and had climbed above the lower fall (where 

 the torrent, being a considerable body of water, makes a clear jump 

 over the rock of about 250 feet, and is the most elegant waterfall I 

 have seen), and was proceeding some miles up the mountain, to the 

 upper fall (which, though not nearly so high, is very beautiful), when 

 my companion, a Norwegian officer, learned from the peasant who 

 acted as our guide, that within about twenty miles of us there was a 

 herd of tame reindeer and their masters, a family of Laps or Fins. 

 This being a sight I was particularly anxious to see, and having at 

 that time never seen a reindeer, tame or wild, I made arrangements 

 with my friend the captain to go in search of them. And so, having 

 with a stone beaten a bullet into the form of a pencil, and with that 

 rude implement written to our friends below, to send us up more am- 

 munition and provisions for several days, we sent back our guide, and 

 proceeded to shoot ptarmigan on the fjeld. That night we slept, or 

 rather attempted to sleep, at a mountain log-hut, called " soeter," but 

 so abominably filthy was the hut, that tired though we were with a 

 day's mountaineering, we preferred sitting over the fire to lying down. 

 At two o'clock, a. m., our guide returned with the provisions, &c, and 

 as the sun was high in the heavens, we soon started off again. We 

 had not walked many miles before we came upon a small detachment 

 of the herd of reindeer, viz., three fine old bucks, which were brows- 

 ing on the mountain side. They were tolerably tame, and allowed us 

 to approach within fifty or sixty yards. They were glorious animals, 

 with splendid branching antlers, and had a great air of dignity as well 

 as elegance ; they never rested quietly in one spot for a moment, but 

 walked on at a fast pace, and as they went, picked up the scanty moss 

 which seems to be their only food, and which was only to be found in 

 very little pieces, scattered here and there. Truly they must march 

 over a great extent of ground to procure a meal. We were obliged to 

 walk after them as fast as we could, to watch their motions, though they 

 evidently did not quicken their usual pace through any alarm at us. 

 They are very peculiar in appearance : the most striking parts are the 

 nose and feet; the upper lip is enormously thick, and projects beyond 



