HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 117 



cloud of thcfe infers fettle upon them, and drive the 

 poor animal almoft to diftrat~Hon. In this extremity, 

 there is no refource but flight. The herdfmen drive 

 their flocks from the plains to the fummits of the moun- 

 tains, "whither the foe cannot follow them : There they 

 will continue the whole day, with little or no food, ra- 

 ther than venture down into the lower parts, where they 

 have no defence againft their unceafing perfecutors. 



Befides the gnat, the gadfly is a common peft to the 

 Rein-deer. In the autumn, this infect depofits its eggs 

 in their fkin ; where the worms burrow, and often prove 

 fatal to them. The moment a fingle fly is feen, the 

 whole herd is in motion : They know their enemy, and 

 endeavour to avoid it, by tofling up their heads, and run- 

 ning among each other ; but all this too often proves in- 

 effectual. 



Every morning and evening, during the fummer, the 

 herdfman returns to the cottage with his Deer to be 

 milked ; where a large fire of mofs is prepared, for the 

 purpofe of filling the place with fmoke, to drive off the 



gnats, and keep the Deer quiet whilft milking. The 



quantity of milk given by one female in a day, is about a 

 pint. It is thinner than that of a Cow, but fweeter and 

 more nourifhing. 



The female begins to breed at the age of two years, is 

 in feafon the latter end of September, goes with young 

 weight months, and generally brings forth two at a time. 

 The fondnefs of the dam for her young is very re- 

 markable. They follow her two or three years, but do 

 not acquire their full ftrength until four. It is at this 

 age that they are trained to labour ; and they continue 

 ferviceable four or five years. They never live above 



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