122 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



From end of nose to root of tail ...... 44 



Vertebrae of tail . . . . . . . . .3^ 



Length of hairs beyond ....... 2 



Length of hoof on top . ....... 1 



Length of hoof on bottom ....... 2 



Around both hoofs at top ....... 3^- 



Height at shoulder . . . . . . . . 24 



Height at hips ......... 26 



Tliat we may make the comparison I will here give the meas- 

 urements by Liclitenstein, as quoted by Professor Baird, of a 

 male C. 3Iexicanus, remembering that my measurements are of 

 a large female : — 



Feet. Inches. 



Total length to root of tail ...... 4 9 



Length of tail ........ 6 



Head to between ears ...... 1 



Horn from the burr to top of posterior point ... dh 



Horn from the burr to top of anterior point . . 1 



Length of ears ........ 5^ 



Height of body anteriorly ...... 2 9 



Height of body posteriorly . . . . . . 2 10 



The length of the antlers of the Acapulco which died of old 

 age, is seven inches ; they have no prongs proper, but are simply 

 notched at top with small basal snags. From these measure- 

 ments, we might conclude that the Acapulco deer was not more 

 than half the size of the smallest variety of the Virginia deer, 

 were it not for the fact that the Acapulco deer is shorter legged, 

 and shorter bodied in proportion to its weight than the common 

 deer ; still the difference in weight must have been very consid- 

 erable. 



The discussion of other branches of our subject will necessarily 

 involve, to a certain extent, allusions to the size and form of the 

 different species as they come under review. 



COAT AND COLOR. 



When we carefully examine and well consider the coat, or 

 covering of hair with which nature has provided the several 

 species of deer, interesting peculiarities are revealed, some of 

 which are common to all, while others are confined to species or 

 varieties or even to individuals. 



The first to be observed is that the coat on the body is cast off 



