Mule-deer 129 



slowly there came up the head and ears of the fawn. It 

 looked cautiously about without rising; then the hunter showed 

 himself. In a flash the fawn's head went down and it lay as 

 still as a stone, with ears laid back on the neck. McFadden 

 stood still within four feet of it, and at length it began to raise 

 its head, but again dropped it on seeing him. He stepped 

 nearer and stooped down; then the fawn leaped out and disap- 

 peared in the woods, not in the direction taken by its mother. 

 This was a well-grown buck fawn, and had stub horns an inch 

 long. 



When I was at Marvine Lodge, Colorado, in September, 

 1 901, I met several instances of the mother Blacktail's devo- 

 tion. One day a Red-tailed Hawk, wheeling low and whistling 

 over the hillside, was fiercely watched by a mother doe, whose 

 bristling rump-patch showed what she felt. Doubtless she 

 took him for an eagle. 



At the same place, on September 17, William Purdy 

 startled a Coyote, which ran across the river flat and up the 

 farther hillside. A doe Blacktail with two fawns was on the 

 hill, and all three watched the Coyote with intense interest 

 until it became clear that he was coming toward them. When 

 he was within 50 yards the doe left the fawns and rushed out 

 at the enemy. He ran as fast as he could, with the doe in full 

 chase, for about 400 yards, then she gave it up and returned in 

 triumph to her young ones. 



By the middle of August the fawns are following their 

 mother, and now the spots on the coat have become somewhat 

 dim. 



An exceptional case came under my observation in 

 Colorado, on September 3, 1901. My pack-train had halted 

 while the men shot some grouse. After half a dozen shots 

 three fawns got up from the grass among the horses, inspected 

 them very deliberately, then quietly walked away. 



By the first of September in Colorado most of the young 

 appear in the new uniform coat. On September 7, however, 

 I saw two fawns still bearing well-marked spots. By the end 



