The Columbia Blacktail 227 



tail, or Columbia blacktail when they wish to be 

 more particular. Beyond this belt the mule-deer 

 is very rare on the range of the blacktail, while 

 the blacktail is practically unknown on the range 

 of the mule-deer. 



The line between their eastern and western 

 range is much more easy to define in the case of 

 the blacktail. While the mule-deer at all points 

 passes to the east over the crest of the Sierra 

 Nevada, the blacktail does not pass it to any 

 extent ; and it is the same on the continuation of 

 the great range into the Cascades of Oregon. I 

 have found them as far east as Klamath Lake, 

 but this is but a few miles over the crest of the 

 range, the general character of the woods and 

 feed being the same. Eastward of that the mule- 

 deer only is found. 



The blacktail seems to care little for open coun- 

 try, and is found almost entirely in timber or heavy 

 brush. The evergreen brush, or chaparral, that 

 robes many of the hills of northern California with 

 miles of wavy folds, is one of his favorite abodes. 

 While the greater part of this is too dense for the 

 hunter to penetrate with comfort, and too high for 

 him to see anything until almost upon it, there are 

 many openings which he can thread with ease, 

 many points upon which he can sit and look down 

 upon the dozens of acres where a pair of horns 

 may come surging into sight above the sea of 



