Mule-deer 135 



about 25 yards square and contained about 70 beds, all of 

 which bore evidence of having been used for years, as well as 

 last night. There were 14 tiers of hollows like shelves, the 

 largest contained 7 beds, the shortest 3, many were large 

 enough for 2 Deer. In each bed the dust was pawed soft and 

 fine. 



The only sanitary efforts of this species seems to be the 

 periodic seeking of the salt-licks. So far as I could learn it 

 does not make a wallow. 



In origin similar to the beds, but probably akin to the scrapes 

 wallows of Elk and Moose, are the "scrapes." These are 

 simply areas of about a square yard, scraped clean of grass and 

 leaves. They are made in autumn and are usually in moist 

 places. I have seen many of them in Colorado, but have no 

 evidence beyond the opinions of hunters that they are made 

 by the bucks. 



This Deer can swim if it must, but it rarely needs to do it, swim- 

 and a photograph by Wallihan shows it to ride very low in the 

 water. I imagine it to be the least aquatic of those found in 

 our country. 



Tudee Caton has a very poor opinion of the Mule-deer's amuse- 

 character. He considers it cowardly and treacherous above 

 all its kind, but says:* "The Mule-deer is the only one I 

 have ever seen manifest a clear and decided disposition to play. 

 This they do something after the manner of lambs, by running 

 courses and gambolling about, and running up and down the 

 bluffs, manifestly for amusement only. I have once noticed 

 something like this in a Common Deer, but at the best it was 

 the faintest sort of play, if indeed that was its meaning. * * * 

 But the Mule-deer not only amuses itself in the way described, 

 but loves to have me join him in a little sham fight, and if I 

 handle him a little roughly, or try to throw him down when he 

 rears up and places his feet on my shoulders, he will recover and 

 jump sideways and backward, twisting himself into grotesque 



* Antelope and Deer of America, 1877, pp. 296-7. 



