92 The Mule Dcer,—Ccri'2is Macrctls. 



Messrs. Audubon k, Bacilman stctc that the specimens they '• saw in 

 Maine and at Niagara ^vere nearly double the size of th.cse on the hunting 

 islands in Soutli Carolina. The daer that reside permanently in theswampa 

 of Carolina, are talier and long-er legged than those in the higher groutds. — 

 The d3er of the mountains are larger than those on the seaboard, yet these 

 diff-Tences the result of food or climate, will not warrant us in multiplying 

 them into dUfercat species." 



ARTICLE XII.— On the Mule Deer, (Ccrvus Macrolis.) 



CEKVUS MACROTIS, (Say.) 

 Characters. 



Horns eyliyidrical, tivi re, forked ; ears very long ; body alove, hroxcmsh grey ; 

 tail sliort^ ahuve^p(dc reil dish (isIl (olcitr, excipt at the exlnviity 

 on lis upper sitrface, 'ivhere it is Uack ; hair an the tody rcarsey 

 like that of the E!k ; very long giayididar 02)enings on the sides 

 of the hind legs., (Audubon & Kachman.) Inhalils the Eastern 

 slope of the lioclry Mountains, ranges into the Iludsoids Bay 

 Territory, North West of Lake Superior. 



The only other species of the deer tribe we have ascertained satisfao- 

 torilly to range into the British possessions of North America, is the Mule 

 Deer, an animal intermediate in size between the common deer and the 

 Canadian Stag. It is said to be a beautiaiKy formed, graceful and powerful 

 animal, its great ears being its only defcrm'ty. The horns are cylindrical, 

 and twice forked. About the centre of llieir length they divide into two 

 equal branches, and each of these is again divided near its exeremity. Near 

 the base of each horn there is also a sm.ali prong like that on the horn of the 

 common deer. The curvature of the antlers is nearly the same also in these 

 two species. 



The general colour is yellowish brown ; nose, sides of face, belly, and 

 inside of legs, greyish white ; there is a line of dark brown along the back 

 from the tail to the forehead ; point of tail for two inches black. The tufted 

 gland on the inside of the leg is six inches Icng in th:s species, and the 

 lachrymal sinus is larger than that of [Cervus Virginianus.) 



The female of this species is larger than the large backs of the Yirgi-^ 



nian deer, and the male still larger. It is a wild and cautious animal, which 



abandon a territory as soon as it becomes inhabited. Its geographical range 



is along the east side of the Ilocky Mountains from Texas to the Sascatr 



chewan river, in the British possessior.s. Very little appears to be Xiwovm 



about its habits. It is said the female brings forth one or two in May or 



June. Prof. Baird, in the article to which we have so of'en referred, says 



NoMRXCi.^TURE. — (^Cervus') Latin, a derr ; (Marrotis) Greek, from 

 (^M'Zkros. long, and (Jus, Ofos, ear,) literally tlie It. n'; eared deer. The ether names. 

 »re Great Eared Deer, Jumping Deer, 'Black 'lailcd Mule Deer, and Cerf 



Mulet. 



