354 ^^nie of Europe, W. & N. Asia & America 



THE MULE-DEER 



[Maxama \_Dorcelaphiis'\ hciiiioni/s) 

 (Plate VII. Fig. 6) 



The peculiar form of the antlers, the large ears, the short, black-tipped 

 tail, and the elongation of the metatarsal gland and tuft, which are situated 

 on the upper halt ot the hind cannon-bone, serve at once to distinguish the 

 mule-deer from all its kindred. Hunters frequently call it the Missouri 

 blacktail, or Manitoba jumping deer, but the former title is liable to lead 

 to confusion with the black-tailed deer properly so-called. If, however, it 

 be remembered that the latter animal has a larger tail, which is wholly 

 black above and wholly white below, and likewise a shorter metatarsal 

 gland and tuft, all chance of confusion between the two types will be 

 avoided (see Fig. y^). 



The metatarsal gland and tuft, which are coloured like the rest of 

 the hind- leg, measure about 5 inches in length, and are situated on 

 the hinder border of the cannon-bone in its upper half, some distance 

 below the hock. A triangular patch on the under surface of the base 

 of the tail is hairless. 



In size the mule-deer may be compared to a rather small Scotch red 

 deer, the height at the withers being about 3/, feet, and the average 

 weight of a well-grown stag about 14 stone. 



In addition to its large ears, and peculiar tail and metatarsal gland, the 

 mule -deer is well characterised by the antlers of the stags. Normally 

 these have a short sub-basal snag, above which the beam is projected for a 

 short distance upwards and then forwards, beyond which it forks dicho- 

 tomously, both prongs being nearly equal and again dividing, the hinder 

 frequently into three. As a rule, therefore, the antlers have not more than 



