Columbian Black-tailed Deer 



Columbian Black-tailed Deer 

 Odocoilcus columbianus (Richardson) 



Loigllt. 6 feet. 



Description. Smaller than the mule deer, with relatively shorter 

 ears and finer hair; especially distinguished by the shorter 

 metatarsal gland and tuft which occupy a considerable part 

 of the upper half of the cannon bone segment. General colour 

 brownish gray, darkest along the back, with a tinge of reddish 

 brown on the head; chin, upper throat and posterior portion 

 of underparts white, rest as above. Tail black above, basal 

 third beneath white. Antlers similar to those of the mule 

 deer. Summer coat redder than winter. 



Rtinge. British Columbia, through Washington and Oregon, west 

 of the Cascade Mountains. Closely related varieties to the 

 north and south, in Alaska and Northern California. 



Our Pacific coast region is favoured with more distinct kinds 

 of deer than any other part of the Union. Besides a represen- 

 tative of the widespread Virginia deer group, we find there also 

 the larger heavier mule deer and the smaller darker species above 

 described. The black-tailed deer, as seen above, has a very re- 

 stricted distribution and was unknown to naturalists until the 

 famous expedition of Lewis and Clarke across the Rocky Moun- 

 tains and into our northwestern territory. These observant natur- 

 alists recognized in both this and the mule deer species which 

 were unknown to them and have given in the account of their 

 travels excellent descriptions of both. The blacktail is in many 

 ways intermediate between the mule and the Virginia deer, but 

 has the same peculiarity of gait and much the same style of 

 antlers as the former. 



Lydekker writes of this species: "In its general mode of 

 life the blacktail is in some respects unlike the mule-deer, although 

 it resembles the latter in its bounding gait when frightened. 

 Such a fatiguing pace can, however, be maintained only for a 

 comparatively short distance, and the deer consequently soon be- 

 come blown when they start off in this manner. When starting 

 without being frightened, they run in a more ordinary way, and 

 arc then able to hold out for a much longer time, as is also the 

 case with the mule deer. Unlike the latter, the present species is 

 a forest-loving animal, frequently the dense woods of conifers 

 bordering the Pacific Coast, whose deep shade affords ample con- 



42 



