REINDEER, Ceraus tarandus or Tarandus rangifer, a species of deer (q.v.). a native chiefly of the arctic regions; by far the most valuable and important of all the species of deer, and the only one which has been thoroughly domesticated and brought into service by man. It'is found wild in Europe, Asia, and America, in Spitzbergcn, and in Greenland. It is not, however,. a native of Iceland, hut was introduced into that island by governor Thodal in 1770, and soon became thoroughly naturalized; great herds now roaming over the wildest parts of the interior, but approached with difficulty by the hunter, and of little value to the inhabitants. It is not there known as a domestic animal. The reindeer attains its greatest size in the arctic regions; and in western Europe it is not found very far to the s. of the arctic circle; but in Siberia and in America its range extends much further to the s., almost to the latitude of Quebec in America; and in the w. of Asia along the whole chain of the ,tiral mountains, and even to the s. of Astrakhan, almost to the Caucasus.
The wild reindeer of Lapland is almost equal in size to the stag, but there are great differences of size in different districts, the largest size being generally 'attained in very polar regions. The domesticated reindeer is never so large as the largest wild ones: but the domesticated reindeer of Siberia is, like the wild one, much larger than that of Lapland. The reindeer is very inferior in gracefulness to the stag, and indeed to most species of deer, being of a rather heavy appearance, with comparatively short and stout limbs, the withers much elevated as in the elk, and the neck carried almost straight for ward. The tail is very short. There is little or no mane, but the hair of the lower parts of the neck is very long and shaggy. Both sexes have large horns, those of the male being larger and often more than 4 ft. long. They are slender and cylindrical almost to the tip in young animals, but in old ones become palmated there, although still slender and cylindrical at the base; they are more or less branched, and from the base spring one or two branches, comparatively short, but also in old animals much palmated. so
that the armature of the head is of a very peculiar appearance. The reindeer is said to use its horns to remove the snow from the lichens which forth great part of its winter food; it also scrapes up the snow with its feet and turns it up with its snout; and by it beautiful provision of nature the feet, forehead, and nose are protected by a remarkalily hard skin. The reindeer is gregarious, partially migratory—its migrations, however, not being regulated by climate, but by the facility of obtaining food. To the Laplander the reindeer constitutes the chief part of his wealth; and many Laplanders possess herds of 2,000 and upward, which they feed chiefly in the mountainous tracts in summer, and iu the lower grounds in winter. The flesh is excellent, as is also the milk, which is much used. The skins are used for clothing, tents, and bedding. The hard skin of the face and feet is much valued by the Laplanders for making shoes. The reindeer is also extremely valuable as a beast of draught, for which purpose it is harnessed to sledges. It is capable of maintaining a speed of 9 or 10 in. an hour for a long time, and can easily draw a weight of almost 200 lbs. besides the sledge. It is much employed for this pur pose iu Siberia as well as in Lapland; but in America it is merely an object of chase, valued for its flesh, fat, and hide. Among other methods resorted to by the Esquimaux and other Indians for its capture is that of making pits in the snow, covered with a slab of ice, which revolves ou its own center when tile reindeer sets foot on it. The flesh and fat are made into pemmican (q.v.), besides being used in a fresh state. A very thick layer of fat lies under the skin of the back of the male. The American reindeer is called the exuritou, and is sometimes regarded as a distinct variety, but the differences are very slight. Although the reindeer has been found to live for years when brought to Britain, the climate does not seem suitable to it.
The reindeer suffers grievously during summer from the attacks of various kinds of insects, and particularly of a species of hot (q.v.), which is sometimes not merely tor menting but destructive.