three feet and a mature male may weigh from 250 to 

 300 pounds. The older bucks have enlarged necks dur- 

 ing the mating season. 



The deer is a ruminant or browsing animal, feed- 

 ing entirely upon vegetable matter such as the buds, 

 leaves and tender twigs of trees and shrubs. In winter 

 when food is scarce they will devour Rhododendron, 

 laurel, hemlock and bark. In extreme cases, the deer 

 will visit open fields and even mingle among domestic 

 stock on rural farms. It is interesting to note that the 

 deer can survive on plants which kill sheep and other 

 animals. 



-4>l 156 J«-- 



