47 
found together, the Bear striding on ahead with his prey, the Fox behind 
gathering in the crumbs as they fall." 
Of the few strictly herbivorous animals that inhabit or frequent the Polar 
regions, the Eeindeer ( Cervus tarandusj takes the foremost place, both from 
its size, its numbers, and its utility to man. The animal itself as well as its 
habits are too well known to need description. In their migrations they 
go in large herds. Franklin states that in a short morning walk near Fort 
Enterprise in the month of October he saw upwards of two thousand. 
The Moose Deer or American Elk (Alces Americanus ) is the largest 
animal of the genus. It is higher in the shoulders than the Horse, the 
neck is short and strong, adapted to bear the large horns which weigh 
sometimes nearly fifty pounds. 
The gait of the animal is a kind of shuffle and the joints crack at each 
step with a loud noise. It is said to trip occasionally and throw itself 
down by treading with its hind feet upon its fore hoofs. 
The Musk Ox (Bos moschatus) which ranges over the barren lands of 
America north of the parallel of 60° is about the size of one of our High- 
land cattle. Its horns are of a peculiar form and cover the brow and the 
whole crown of the head. These animals live on grass and lichens, the 
country being destitute of wood except some spruce trees on the banks of 
the larger rivers. They are not found in the eastern hemisphere, nor in 
Greenland, Spitzbergen, or Lapland. They assemble in herds of 20 or 30 
and will sometimes attack a man and endanger his life. 
Notwithstanding what has been stated as to the annual migration of the 
Deer and other Arctic animals, it is nevertheless doubted by many Arctic 
explorers whether they do migrate at all. It is certain that several ex- 
peditions found even in the depth of winter large numbers of Deer in various 
parts of the frigid zone, and it was the opinion of Parry that only the 
darkness prevents their being seen all through the winter. What they 
live on is a mystery, and indeed the animals found at that season are very 
lean. It seems probable that where migration is easy as on the Continent 
of North America, it may be the habit of these animals to seek a more 
genial climate, from the rigours of an Arctic winter, whilst in more 
isolated situations they may from the force of circumstances remain 
permanently on the spot. 
The remainder of the paper was occupied with a short account of the 
Birds which frequent or visit the Arctic regions. 
