CARIACUS \Ik(iIMANUS. l5 



conorrecrate and remain in one locality till the food supply in the im- 

 mediate vicinity is exhausted, when they move off to some other 

 place. H)' workino- to and fro in search of browse the snow becomes 

 much trampled, and pathways are beaten in various directions. 

 These places are called yards, but the)- fall far short of the regular 

 enclosures, walled in by deep snow, that we so often read about, and 

 even see jjictured under this head. They afford the much persecuted 

 animals no shelter or [protection, for if discovered by either the pan- 

 ther or the infamous " crust hunter," they become grave-yards for 

 many. Mr. Verplanck Colvin, speaking of one he found on the south 

 side of Seventh Lake Mountain. February i5, icS;;, said: "It was 

 impossible to estimate the number of Deer winch had occupied this 

 yard, as they had tied at our approach, plunging into the deep snow 

 below. The ground of this central area resembled a sheep yard in 

 winter, the forms of t+ie Deer being plainly discernible in the beds of 

 snow, in which they had slept, on every side. 



- " Here we were starded b)' the sight of the fresh tracks ot a 

 panther or cougar, which evidend)- made his home in this abode of 

 plenty ; and shortly thereafter we found the body of a Deer freshly 

 killed, and shockingly torn and mutilated. The guides were now all 

 excitement, and followed the cougar's trail eagerly. In less than 

 thirty minutes a shout announced that he had been encountered, and 

 rushing forward to the southern front of the plateau I came upon 

 the monstrous creature, coolly defiant, standing at the brow of a 

 precipice on some dead timber, little more th^n twenty feet from 

 where I stood. Quickly loading the rifle, I sent a bullet throucdi 

 his brain, and as the smoke lifted, saw him struggling in the fearful 

 convulsions of death, till finally precipitated over the cliffs he disap- 

 peared from sight in the depths below." '=' 



It is stated by several writers that the Deer delights in destroying 

 snakes. Dr. Harlan thus speaks of this proclivity : — 



* Report of Adirond.ick Survey, l88o, pp. 159-160. 



