this diforder, for which no remedy has yet been difcovered, is an
affeftion o f the fpleen, called' the miltjyge; and as it is looked upon
as totally incurable, the Laplanders kill the deer as foon as they
find fymptoms o f infcCtion, in order to fave at leaft the ikin.
Mention has already been made of an infeCt which renders the
ikin of lefs value by perforating i t : this iniedt is often deftroyed
by applying tar to the animal’s b a c k ; and from the fly before-
mentioned, which attacks the noftril, the rein-deer is often relieved
by the fneezing occafioned through irritation. Rein-deer are like-
wife fubjeil to a diforder common to animals having hoofs ; this
is the paronychia, by the inhabitants of Norway called the Jclov-
Jyge. The females . have likewife fmall eruptions on the udder,
fimilar to th a t which at prefent is known in England by the name
of cow-pock.
The principal food of the rein-deer in winter, is a fort o f white
mofs, called by the natives of Norway quit-moffe; its botanical
name is lichen rangiferinus. To come at this mofs the animal is
obliged to dig with its foot under the fnow. It fometimes happens,
although but rarely, that the fnow is fo frozen that the reindeer
is not able to get at the ground : were this to be the cafe for
any length of time, there would be great danger of the whole race
of thefe animals being ftarved and loft, to the entire ruin of the
Laplanders : but fo great, fays the miffionary, has been the kind-
nefs of Providence hitherto, that no fuch event has ever happened,
and perhaps never may.
The rein-deer which are tamed, and conftitute the chief wealth
of.
of the Laplanders, are never houfed during the whole year : in
fummer they find plenty of grafs, and in winter, they live chiefly
on the white mofs before mentioned, In fonie parts of Norway
thefe animals are ufed inftead of horfes, and are there kept in flails
during the winter. The rein-deer is particularly fond of man s
urine, ând will greedily lick up the fnow whereon it has fallen.
I t is likewife faid that they hunt after a particular kind o f mice,
òf which they eat the heads only : their drink in winter is collected
from the fnoW, which they gather as they pafs along when
drawing the fledges.
Th è grëatèft eiiemy of the rein-deer is the wolf, and it requires
the utmoft diligence and circumfpcction of the people to guard
and defend théif herds agairift the infidious attacks of this inveterate
and cunning foe. They endeavour to affright and keep him
off by means of flakes driven into the earth, having pieces of worn-
out and tattered tunicks and other garments hanging on them :
but it is chiefly during any violent ftorm that they have occafion
to be moft vigilant; for at that time this depredator is on the looko
u t for an opportunity to invade the timorous herd : in the moment
o f alarm, every one of the Laplanders houfehold is then put
in motion, fome to look to the rein-deer, whilft others make a loud
noife by beating w ith flicks againft a fledge, brought without the
tent for that purpofe : and, indeed, there is a neceffity for the
greateft precaution on the part of the Laplanders, becaufe the tame
rein-deer is fo Ample an animal, th a t if not carefully protected, it
becomes an eafy prey to the wolf. No fooner is that voracious
C c 2 beaft