PREFACE. 



The study of the natural history of the animals whose pursuit 

 has ever been with me a favorite diversion has long occupied 

 my hours of leisure. For many years I have kept in domesti- 

 cation the American Antelope and all of the American deer of 

 which I treat, except the Moose and the two species of Caribou 

 or American Reindeer. I have therefore had opportunity of 

 studying them which I could not have enjoyed while they were 

 in their wild state. Having early formed the habit of noting 

 down my observations, — which those competent to judge have 

 deemed of scientific value, — I have been induced to put them 

 in a form which will make them available to others. 



I undertook this work some years since, but found that new 

 observations were constantly requiring changes in and additions 

 to what I had supposed was finished, till I despaired of complet- 

 ing the work to my own satisfaction. I have, however, taken the 

 advice of a scientific friend, and arranged my observations for the 

 press in their present form, conscious that much remains to be 

 discovered relating to the objects of my study, and that many of 

 my conclusions may require modification. 



I make no attempt to exhaust the natural history of even the 

 few animals of which I treat. I only attempt a monograph of 

 them. I leave their osteology and anatomy almost entirely for 

 other and more competent hands, and invade their province only 



