IGO 



NOTES ON CALIFORNIA ANJMALM. 



In the fall the Black-tailed Deer begin to descend into the foot-liillr 

 and the lower country generally, and in winter are as numerous there 

 as tlie^' are in summer at greater elevations. 



AVinter specimens were all infested with jiarasites, about an inch in 

 Jcngth, which were found in clusters in the i'olds of the throat, almost 

 every animal examine<l Jiaving consideiable numbers of tliem. Tliey 

 api)eared to be the larva of a bot-lly {(Estriis f). 



Many of these specimens were useless for mounting, tlu^ animals 

 having spoiled their coats by rubbing against trees to rid themselves 

 of wood-ticks. 



The antlers of these ])eer vary greatly in the number of " i)oinls," 

 deformity, rugose aj^pearance, «S:c. 



Fi<j. 1, spike of yearling ; Figs. 2 and 3, aiitlor at second y«ar; Figs. 4 and 5, antlers at third yiKiT; 

 Fiji. 6, fully-developed antler as f o form, but becoming heavier and rougher with age. 



The accompanying cut illustrates, in a general way, the appearance 

 of the antler with each year's growth, nntil the fourth or tifth year, 

 after which the normal appearance is that of Fig. (>. 



AliNOUMAI. r.uoWTIIs.— Fig. 1, double antler with two brow-tines ; Figs. 2, .3, and 4, deformed anllers 



from old d(^(T.. 



In Siskiyou County I saw a i)air of antlers Avith the right one so 

 palmated and flattened that it resembled a miniature moose-horn. 



