35^ Game of Europe, W. & N. Asia & America 



In build the mule-deer is a much heavier and clumsier-looking animal 

 than the \'irginian whitetail. Prhna facie, the large size of its ears, 

 from which, by the way, it derives its name, would apparently indicate 

 that it is more addicted to a life in the forest, but in reality this does 

 not seem to be the case. 



In summer the general colour of the hair on the upper-parts is pale 

 dull yellowish or yellowish tawny ; but in early autumn the general 

 colour changes to bluish grey, this again growing lighter as the hairs 

 lengthen, and bluish during winter. Very characteristic of the species 

 is the patch of dark brown hair on the forehead between the eyes, and 

 extending somewhat below them on to the tace ; the rest of the latter, 

 together with the throat, abdomen, inner side of legs and buttocks, 

 and the basal half of the tail, being white. The rest of the under-parts 

 are blackish ; while the tail-tip and the front border of the ears are black. 

 The mule-deer, in its typical form, inhabits a large tract of country 

 to the westward of the Missouri River, extending from Fort George, in 

 British Columbia, southwards to Texas, and westwards through Nevada 

 to the latitude of San Francisco, thus including the States of Dakota, 

 Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, 

 California, Oregon, and Washington. 



From much of their range in the plain-country mule-deer have now 

 been completely swept away by the advancing tide of civilisation ; but 

 they still hold their own in many parts of the Rocky Mountains as well 

 as in the mountainous districts of the western and south-western states 

 of the Union. Formerly the mule -deer was an extremely abundant 

 species, but it has suffered heavily at the hands of the skin-hunter. 

 Except in the breeding-season, when the old stags become fierce, it is 

 of a gentle and inquisitive disposition. 



Some account of the habits of the mule-deer will be found in Deer of 

 All Lands; this may be supplemented by the following extract from 



