Department of Zoology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2

Church Cottage, Dymock, Gloucestershire GL18 2AG England Deceased, 2 July 1985

Pruitt, W. O., Jr. and Hubert Pepper. 1986. "Pepper's Patches" on Rangifer pelage. Rangifer, Special Issue No.1: 227-234.

Abstract

We describe and give frequencies of occurrence of a rarely-mentioned pattern of spots in Rangifer pelage. We also show that the pattern was well-known to Palaeolithic humans who recorded it in their cave art. We also discuss some of the symbolic possibilities resulting from the recognition by Palaeolithic humans of the biological characteristics of the pattern in Rangifer.

Key Words: Rangifer, caribou, reindeer, pelage, spots, Palaeolithic art.