A Caribou (probably a buck) secured about the end of June was reported
to have back fat half an inch thick--possibly resulting from the fresh
green spring feed. In August, however, scarcely any fat was to be found
on the animals; perhaps the annual renewal of pelage and the summer
harassment by flies had been deterrents to the storage of fat. In
September and early October the Caribou were in prime condition. On
September 19 there was a fresh piece of back fat half an inch thick; two
days later there was another piece three times as thick. In 1943 (a year
of great mushroom growth) the animals were said to have become
particularly fat. According to Charles Schweder, the doe never becomes
so fat as the buck; one of September 21, still nursing, was just
slightly fat. An adult buck of September 29 was recorded as “somewhat
fat”; two of October 16 were “rather fat” and “quite fat.” Charles has
seen as much as 3 inches of fat on a buck. The strips of back fat
brought into camp on October 8 from several bucks weighed about 5 to 10
lb. apiece. Such fatness evidently prepares the bucks for the strain of
the rutting season, when they neglect their feeding and become very poor
and thin. This loss of fat occurs in about two weeks. The does also lose
some fat at this season, but slowly. In some winters the Caribou remain
fat, but in other winters they do not. In the latter case there may be
deep snow that hinders their feeding. In the spring the Caribou become
fat again, and they are in that condition when they arrive from the
south in May.
The eagerness of the Eskimos and the Indians for fat results in their
selection of the biggest bucks, which generally carry the most fat.
Charles Schweder spoke of the tail of such an animal almost
disappearing, apparently engulfed in fat! Besides its use in the native
diet, the fat goes into the making of “Eskimo candles” (see section on
_Relations to man_).
_References._--Franklin, 1823: 240; Armstrong, 1857: 477-478;
Whitney, 1896: 161; Elliot, 1902: 276; R. M. Anderson, in
Stefánsson, 1913b: 505-506; Stefánsson, 1921: 231-234,
246-247, 252; Jenness, 1922: 48, 101, 248; Birket-Smith, 1929
(1): 48, 90; Seton, 1929, +3+: 113-114; Critchell-Bullock, 1930:
193; Weyer, 1932: 40; Hornby, 1934: 105; Hamilton, 1939: 109;
Downes, 1943: 228; Manning, 1943a: 53.
BODY-MEASUREMENTS AND WEIGHTS
Columns:
A: No.
B: Sex and age
C: Date
D: Length
E: Tail
F: Foot
G: Ear from crown
H: Height at shoulder
I: Shoulder joint to hip joint
J: Circumference of neck at base
K: Circumference of body behind shoulders
L: Length of front hoof
M: Length of hind hoof
N: Estimated weight (lbs.)
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