Virginian White-Tailed Deer 339 



nape. This mark is usually continued as a streak down the remainder of 

 the neck, sometimes continuing as tar as the shoulders. The tace- 

 markings are also stated to be more sharply defined than in the typical 

 form ; and the hinder part of the head is white or whitish, with a dark 

 stripe in the middle line. In the skull the margins of the sockets of the 

 eyes are stated to be less abruptly prominent below, the premaxillary 

 bones are more slender, and there are certain small points ot ditference in 

 regard to other bones. 



THE VIRGINIAN WHITE-TAILED DEER 



{Mazama \I)orct'laphus\ americand) 



(Plate VII. Fig. 5I 



In the Deer of All Lands the name of common American deer is taken 

 for the present species, inclusive of its numerous local varieties ; but it 

 seems fir preferable to use the term white -tailed deer in this sense, 

 although it was originally applied to a local race other than the typical 

 one. Another point in regard to nomenclature must also be referred to. 

 The writer is still of opinion that all the typically American deer, 

 exclusive of the pudus, are best included in a single generic group, tor 

 which the name Mazama (typified by the brockets), as the earliest, is 

 entitled to stand. For the group to which the present species and its 

 immediate allies belong the name Dorcelaplius (used in a subgeneric sense) 

 was adopted in Deer of All Lands. American writers have, however, dis- 

 covered that this name is antedated by Odoco'ileiis (amended by Mr. G. M. 

 Allen' to Odocivli/s), which was originally applied by Rafinesque to a 

 fossil tooth, said to belong to the present species, from a cave. This name 



^ Americui NiiturtiUst, vol. xxxv. p. 448 (1901). 



