ated to be about the
middle or end of May, soon after which period they proceed towards the
sea-coast and drop their young. The young males lose their horns about
the same time with the females or a little earlier, some of them as
early as April. The hair of the rein-deer falls in July, and is
succeeded by a short thick coat of mingled clove, deep reddish, and
yellowish browns; the belly and under parts of the neck, _&c._,
remaining white. As the winter approaches the hair becomes longer, and
lighter in its colours, and it begins to loosen in May, being then much
worn on the sides, from the animal rubbing itself against trees and
stones. It becomes grayish and almost white, before it is completely
shed. The Indians form their robes of the skins procured in autumn, when
the hair is short. Towards the spring the larvae of the oestrus attaining
a large size, produce so many perforations in the skins, that they are
good for nothing. The cicatrices only of these holes are to be seen in
August, but a fresh set of _ova_ have in the mean time been
deposited[2].

[2] "It is worthy of remark, that in the month of May a very great
number of large larvae exist under the mucous membrane at the root
of the tongue, and posterior part of the nares and pharynx. The
Indians consider them to belong to the same species with the
oestrus, that deposits its ova under the skin: to us the larvae of
the former appeared more flattened than those of the latter.
Specimens of both kinds, preserved in spirits, were destroyed by
the frequent falls they received on the portages."--DR.
RICHARDSON'S _Journal_.

The rein-deer retire from the sea-coast in July and August, rut in
October on the verge of the barren grounds, and shelter themselves in
the woods during the winter. They are often induced by a few fine days
in winter, to pay a transitory visit to their favourite pastures in the
barren country, but their principal movement to the northward commences
generally in the end of April, when the snow first begins to melt on the
sides of the hills, and early in May, when large patches of the ground
are visible, they are on the banks of the Copper-Mine River. The females
take the lead in this spring migration, and bring forth their young on
the sea-coast about the end of May or beginning of June. There are
certain spots or passes well known to the Indians, through which the
deer invariably pass in their m