MAYNAiiD on the Maiiimals of Florida. 19 



cause of their abundance, but because the inhabitants do 

 not kill them wantonly, knowing that they are extremely 

 valuable to them for food, and the tourists who possess suf- 

 ficient skill to capture any number of them are scarce. 



When we first attemped to hunt Deer we were almost 

 always unsuccessful, even rarely being able to see one, and 

 were informed by the hunters that we did not go out at the 

 right time. Upon questioning them they told us that the 

 Deer were governed in their time of feeding by the moon. 

 An hour before moonrise the animals arose from their beds 

 or came out of the hummocks to feed upon the grass in 

 the clearings, or in the piny woods, continuing until after 

 the moon was up. An hour before the moon southed (i. e., 

 attained its highest altitude) they did the same thing, and 

 also when it was directly beneath the earth, making in all 

 eight hours' feeding time. At first I laughed at this as an 

 old hunter's notion, for although it is easy to understand 

 why the Deer should feed at those times when the moon 

 rises near night and sets near morning, it is difficult to per- 

 ceive why they should conform to the same rule through 

 all the varying phases. But after three seasons experience 

 I am obliged to acknowledge that as far as my observation 

 extends this theory is correct. The Deer are certainly 

 seen feeding much more frequently during these stated 

 times than at others. Of course one occasionally meets a 

 straggling animal at other hours, but I never found any 

 number on their feet at any other time. All the hunters 

 with whom I have conversed also confirm this. Another 

 singular fact is that the great horned owls hoot at the 

 feeding time of the Deer, even if it be broad daylight. I 

 have observed this fact on many occasions, and the hunters, 

 when they hear the owls, say ^'now the Deer are feeding." 



Early in February the Deer moult. The bucks then lose 



