HABITAT. 23 



black, with yellowish white tips. Top and sides of neck, the back and 

 upper half of sides, russet yellow ; below this, white, except usually three 

 bands of russet yellow, beneath the neck. White extending up from 

 the inguinal region involving the posteriors, uniting with a white patch 

 on the rump. Tail white, with a few tawny hairs on top. There is an 

 interdigital gland on each foot, a cutaneous gland under each ear, another 

 over each pi-ominence of the ischium^ another beh.ind each hock, and 

 one on the back, at the anterior edge of the white patch ; in all eleven. 



While the description ah-eady given of this interesting animal 

 may enable the naturalist to distinguish it from all other quadru- 

 peds, it by no means explains its natural history, nor does it give 

 even a synopsis of it. To do this, we must descend to greater 

 particularities. 



HABITAT. 



The native range of the Prong Buck is comparatively limited. 

 It is not only confined to North America, but to the temperate 

 region of the western part of this portion of the continent. 



We have no account or evidence that the Prong Buck was 

 ever an inhabitant east of the Mississippi River, and it only 

 reached that river in the higher latitudes. It is now found 

 only west of the Missouri River. Westward, it originally in- 

 habited all the region to the Pacific Ocean, within the present 

 limits of the United States, except the wooded districts and 

 high mountain ranges. It was ver}^ abundant in California, 

 twenty-five years ago. My information is full that they Avere 

 equally numerous throughout all the valleys and open country 

 of that State. They were by no means uncommon in the open 

 portions of Oregon. They are very scarce, if any exist in that 

 State now; and California is at this time almost entirely de- 

 serted by them. Their native range extends from the tropics 

 to the fifty-fourth degree of north latitude. Within the de- 

 scribed limits, they do not invade the timbered country, or the 

 high naked mountains. Their favorite haunts are the naked 

 plains or barren rolling country. If they endure scattering trees 

 in a park-like region, or scanty shrubs, forests possess such terrors 

 for them that these animals avoid them at any sacrifice. 



They appear to endure the presence of civilization in the east- 

 ern and southern districts of the range better than in the northern 

 and western ; although a quarter of a century ago they were 

 more abundant in the open country on the Pacific coast than in 

 any other locality, — a region which they have now quite de- 

 serted. 



