In a calving area on western Hardangervidda, Norway, shed antlers of female reindeer, Rangifer tarandus tarandus L., have been collected for several years. Many of these antlers have been chewed on by reindeer. In the literature antler chewing has been reported to take place on both shed and unshed antlers. Our observations support these findings. Based on the present observations it is suggested that the antlers may subserve the mineral householding of the animals under special conditions. The female reindeer has to pass through a nutritionally marginal season which often coincides with calving. Bringing the bony antlers to the calving areas seems advantageous in the maintenance of calcium balance. The growth of antlers may therefore be looked upon as part of a mineral saving strategy. The mineral stored in the antler thus represents a reserve to be used during pregnancy and lactation. This is in contrast to the common view that shedding of antlers is just waste of mineral when there is a great need for calcium.

Blood samples from 81 Spitsbergen reindeer together with reference samples from 11 continental Norwegian reindeer have been examined by different electrophoretic techniques with regard to the following genetic marker systems: Red cells: Hb, PGM, 6‐PGD, GPT, ESD, GLO, and AcP. Serum: A1 and Tf. In all markers except Tf (transferrin) Spitsbergen reindeer types showed the same electrophoretic patterns as did the continental Norwegian reindeer, i.e. they probably were homozygous for the alleles seen in the reference animals. In the Tf system, three different phenotypes were observed in the Spitsbergen group, designated TfG2, TfG2G3, and TfG3. The distribution of phenotypes fits well with one autosomal codominant Tf locus with two common alleles TfG2 and TfG3, neither of which has been seen in continental Norwegian reindeer. It is concluded that the Tf phenotype distribution observed indicates a relatively large genetic distance between Spitsbergen and continental Norwegian reindeer.

Foetuses of reindeer, Rangifer tarandus tarandus L., were collected at slaughter and studied for structural primordial stages of pedicle formation and antler growth. Fresh foetuses studied in January and February exhibited a round, pale area with an epidermal infolding or groove at the site of the future antler development. Also, in an ethanol‐fixed caribou foetus from Alaska, an epidermal invagination could be seen in the area of later pedicle formation. No protruding bone or cartilage was observed as primordial stages of antler growth in reindeer foetuses collected from 10 November to 26 April. It is concluded that an epidermal infolding exists in the foetus of telemetacarpal cervids such as reindeer and caribou.