io NATURAL HI S TOR Y of NORPFA T. 



in great quantity : their make is betwixt the horfe and flag, 

 and they are hence called by fome Equicervos. They are very 

 long-legged, infomuch that a man may ftand upright under 

 their belly :_ they are of an afh-colour ; and on their head they 

 have horns like the deer, but not fo long and round ; but flat and 

 broad, with fmall points about the edge. It is a harmlefs inno- 

 cent creature, and keeps near the houfes in winter. The meat 

 taftes pretty much like venifon, and the hide fells for a good 

 price ; it is counted the fineft and ftrongeft leather for foldiers 

 habits, in the place of buff; but the price is lefs fince horfe and 

 oxen hides are drefled the fame way for buff-leather. The hoof 

 of this creature is cloven, as cows ; and there are often rings 

 made of it, which are faid to be good for the cramp, and for 

 epileptic diforders. This is on the principle of Curatio per 

 contrarium y for this beaft is often troubled with that difbrder, 

 and cures itfelf, they fay, by ftretching his right hind-foot to his 

 ear *, and fcratching himfelt with it. Their principal food is elm 

 and afp-leaves, as long as they can be had. That Mon£ Marti- 

 niere, in his voyage on Nord, cap. xiv. and feveral other places, 

 confounds the Elk-deer with the Rein-deer furprizes me, for the 

 difference is very great and evident. 

 Reindeer. Reenfdyr, Rein-deer, or, according to the old manner of 

 writing, Hrein Dyr, is a fpecies of flag, that properly belongs 

 to thefe northern countries ; and, as far as I know, are not 

 found any where elfe ; they will not thrive or generate any where 

 elfe. Tho' the naturalizing them has been often attempted, 

 and they have been transported abroad to the great and rich 

 for their curiofity, and to propagate their kind in other parts. 

 This will always be a vain attempt, for no nourilhment can be 

 Found any where elfe that will keep them alive ; Co that they have 

 all perifhed. Perhaps alfb the want of their native air, fuch as 

 they find in the high hills and mountains here, has been 

 deftruclive to them. See Happelel Relat. Curiof Tom. IV. 

 P. II. p. 595, & feq. The fhape or make of the Rein-deer 

 refembles the hart, and their horns f are covered with a furr, 



and 



* Docl. Mich. Bernh. Valentin!, in- his Mufeum Mufeorum, p. 429, declares this 

 to be a fable, and cautions (upon the fame occafion) all preachers, that they do not 

 borrow of Frantzio, in his Hiftor. Animalum, and other credulous authors ill-founded 

 fimilies ; for fuch mifunderftandings weaken the word of God, where it is intended 

 to be confirmed or eftablifhed. 



f Errat omnino Thevetus, qui in Cofmographia fua, apud Norvegos, Finmarkos 

 & Mofcovitas, unicornem facit rangiferum : errant fimiliter Olaus Magnus, Gefnerus, 

 & Jonftonius, qui tricornem depingunt. Olig. Jacob. Muf. Reg. Seel. 1. p. 7. 



When the Rein-deer Iheds his horns, and gets new ones in the ftead, they appear at 

 firft to be covered with a fort of fkin i and, till they come to a finger's length, are 



fo 



