120 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



fifteen of the number were killed by the Wolves, and the 

 remaining ten did not long furvive, the climate being 

 confidered as too warm. 



To thofe brought over by Sir H. G. Liddell, five more 

 were added the year following. They produced young 

 ones, and gave promifmg hopes of thriving in this coun- 

 try : But, unfortunately, fome of them were killed ; and 

 the others died, in confequence of a diforder fimilar to 

 that called the rot in Sheep, which was attributed to the 

 richnefs of the grafs whereon they fed. Nor can we 

 wonder at the failure of this fpirited enterprize, when 

 we confider, that it is the fole employment of the Lap- 

 lander to tend and herd his Rein-deer, to drive them in 

 the fummer time to the fummits of the mountains, to the 

 fides of clear lakes and dreams, and to lead them where 

 they can find the mod proper food. Want of knowledge 

 or attention to minute particulars, is fufficient to over- 

 turn the beft-laid plans. 



There is, however, little doubt but this animal will 

 live without the Lapland lichen; to which, perhaps, it 

 only hath recourfe, becaufe there is in thofe latitudes no 

 other fuftenance during the winter. It is alfo, in Eng- 

 land, free from its mortal enemy — the gadfly. But as 

 the defire of pofleffing this animal has hitherto been ex- 

 cited only by curiofity, it is not likely that much atten- 

 tion will be paid to it in a country like this, abounding 

 with fuch variety of ufeful quadrupeds. 



The Rein-deer is wild in America, where it is called 

 the Caribou. — It is found in Spitzbergen and Greenland ; 

 and is very common in the mod northern parts of Eu- 

 rope, and in Afia as far as Kamtfchatka, where fome of 

 the richeft of the natives keep herds of ten or twenty 

 thoufand in number. 



