RUMINANTIA. CERVID^. 79 



ft. in. t'ths. 



Length of the posterior portion of the ear, . . . .050 

 " of the long hair under the neck, . . . . 5 

 " of the common hair, 13 



Height at the fore legs, 3 



Description and measurements from a male, said to be three 

 years old, and in his winter dress. 



Skull. 



ft. in. t'ths. 



Length measured over the nasal bones, . . . . 12 



" along the palatine bones, 10 5 



Width between the orbits, 4 8 



Length from the canine tooth to the meatus, . . . . 10 1 

 " from the upper edge of the orbit of the left side to the 



centre of the base of the horn, 2 7 



The same measurement on the right side gives only . .020 



This difference in the position of the horns of opposite sides 

 may be accidental. 



Observations. Whether the Caribou was ever an inhabitant of 

 this State, is now difficult to determine. Civilization we know 

 early drove away the more shy and timid animals, especially those 

 of the larger kinds, and hence, as in the case of the Moose, this 

 too may have fled on the first approach of civilized man. It is 

 only a few years since this animal occasionally appeared in the 

 northern parts of Vermont and New Hampshire, from which it is 

 not unreasonable to infer, that, in still earlier times, it may have 

 passed still farther South, and, in fact, have occupied a portion of 

 Massachusetts. It is never seen in this State at the present day. 

 It is still possible that some light may be thrown upon this subject 

 at some future day, by the discovery of the bones of the animal 

 in the bogs, or alluvials along our water courses. This is the 

 only resource which we have left for information on this subject. 

 It will, I think, be perceived, that the Genus Cervus, as now 

 constituted, requires some change, in order to adapt it to the 

 present state of our knowledge of the principles of classification, 

 and I think that it will not be long before naturalists will see the 

 propriety of separating the Caribou * from the Genus Cervus. 



* Since the above was written, I am informed by Dr. De Kay, that the Caribou 

 has already been made into a new genus, but I am unable to refer to the author, 

 and therefore am obliged to let the species remain in its old place in the system. 



