532 



THE CLOVEN- HOOFED ANIMALS. 



the Deer. The Prince of Wied says, however, that 

 the animal often exceeds the Fallow Deer in size 

 and is but little inferior in that respect to the Stag. 

 The color varies according to the season of the year. 

 The prevailing color of the summer coat is a beauti- 

 ful, uniform reddish yellow, deepening on the back, 

 but becoming lighter on the flanks; the abdomen 

 and inner faces of the limbs are paler. In winter the 

 upper surface is grayish brown, the under parts pure 

 white. The length of a male of average size is six 

 feet, the tail measures twelve inches, the height of 

 the antlers is twelve inches, and the length of each 

 horn, taken along the curvature, is about twenty 

 inches. The height of the buck at the withers is 

 about forty inches. The doe is considerably smaller, 

 being only four feet four inches long and not over 

 thirty-two inches high. The fawn is spotted very 



VIRGINIA DEER. Here is our common American Deer, famous as one of the most 



beautiful of the entire family. Its range includes all of the United States east of the Missouri 

 River, and all the southern states including Texas. In the far western region it is replaced by 

 closely allied species. {Cariacus virginian-us.) 



daintily with white or yellowish white, on a dark 

 brown ground, resembling the parents in other re- 

 spects. 



From the accounts of American naturalists this 

 beautiful Deer is distributed through all forests of 

 North America, with the exception of those of the 

 extreme north. It is said not to be usually found in 

 the sub-arctic regions, but it occurs in Canada. It 

 ranges from the eastern coast of North America to 

 the Rocky Mountains and southward to Mexico. In 

 former times it is said to have been plentiful every- 

 where in its native country; at present it has been 

 nearly exterminated in the more densely populated 

 parts and has retreated to the forest country or the 

 fastnesses of the mountain regions. In general its 

 habits coincide with those of the Red Deer, allow- 

 ing for differences in environment. 



Audubon's Account Audubon says: "The Deer has a 

 of the Virginia strong attachment to the locality it 

 Deer. j las selected as its domicile and 



always returns to it when it has been driven away. 

 It does not rest on the same bed on different days, 

 however, but still is found in the same locality, 

 sometimes at a distance of less than fifty paces from 

 the spot on which it has been molested. Its favor- 

 ite haunts are fallow fields, which have partly re- 

 verted into bushland again, the underbrush on which 

 conceals it and affords it shelter. In the southern 

 states it often selects brushwood along the bound- 

 aries of plantations, especially in summer, when in 

 most states it is protected by law from molestation. 

 There it reposes during the day, in a gloomy thicket 

 of canes, wild grapes, thorn bushes, etc., always 

 selecting the place of its domicile in the closest pos- 

 sible proximity to its feeding ground. 

 The fancy for similar localities is not 

 general, however, for one often finds 

 its tracks in fields, which can have 

 been invaded only by animals coming 

 from a great distance. In mountain 

 regions the traveler sometimes sees 

 one lying on a rocky projection, re- 

 minding the observer of a Bouquetin 

 or a Chamois, but it generally hides 

 among low bushes, beside fallen tree 

 trunks, or in similar places. In the 

 cold season it prefers protected, dry 

 spots, often standing and basking in 

 the sunshine. In summer it retreats 

 into shady parts of the woods dur- 

 ing the day and ranges in the vicin- 

 ity of small rivers or cool streams. 

 To escape the attacks of Mosquitoes 

 it often takes refuge in a river or 

 pond, and submerges itself in the 

 water up to its nostrils. 



"The food varies with the time of 

 year. In winter the Deer devours the 

 branches and leaves of bushes, in 

 spring and summer it selects the ten- 

 derest herbage, exhibiting great fas- 

 tidiousness, and often enters fields in 

 quest of young Indian corn and other 

 grain. It is very partial to berries of 

 various kinds, nuts and the smaller 

 fruits. One would think that such 

 variety of food would tend to keep 

 it always in good physical condition; 

 but such is not the case, for, with the 

 exception of certain seasons, these 

 Deer are very lean. They are fat 

 from August to November. We have slain some 

 ourselves, which weighed about one hundred and 

 sixty pounds each, and have been informed that 

 some attain a weight of upwards of one hundred 

 and eighty pounds. 



"The does are fattest from November to January; 

 then their condition is reduced until the fawns are 

 born, but they become fatter again while they are 

 suckling their young. The young fawns are born in 

 April in the south Atlantic states, and when but few 

 days old, sometimes sleep so soundly that they can 

 be surprised and taken before they are aware of 

 the approach of Man. They are very easily tamed, 

 and become greatly attached to their keepers after 

 several hours of captivity. A friend of ours pos- 

 sessed a female fawn, which was brought to a Goat 

 after its capture and adopted by her, and we have 



