138 



Life-histories of Northern Animals 



proved to have been badly snagged some years before. The 

 snag, a dry branch of spruce, 8 inches long and |-inch thick, 

 had pierced the shoulder-blade, broken two ribs and entered 8 

 inches into the chest, where it still rested. It was completely 

 encysted. The animal was fat and healthy (Fig. 52). 



Thus one may well realize that trouble is not exclusively 



GAIT 



Fig. 52 — A. The snag. B. The cap formed over the end by the ribs. C. The Deer, showing course of snag. 



the lot of man, and that our brethren of hoofs and horns have 

 their full share, without the human mind to point the way of 

 comfort or to aggravate the ills by dwelling on them. 



The Mule-deer walks and trots like others of the Family, 

 but when it comes to speeding it does not run like the Whitetail, 

 but goes with a peculiar bounding, in which, with little leg 

 movement, it rises as by an effort of the toes, leaping from all 

 four and landing on all four. This action is seen also in the 

 Coast Deer, but is quite different from the much swifter run- 

 ning of Whitetail and Antelope. 



In the various parts of its wide range this fine animal has 

 received names that reflect one or other of its peculiarities; 

 thus Mule-deer or Donkey-deer (Burro) from its ears, Mule- 

 tail Deer and Blacktail from its tail. But the best of its many 

 names is "Bounding Blacktail"; in this we see the record of 



