RUMIJVANTIA CERVINAE CERVUS COLUMBIANUS. 661 



The horns of this species, when fully formed, are quite different from those of the Virginia 

 deer, and almost identical in character with those of C. macrolis. They rise from a well 

 developed pedicel above and behind the eyes, 'and bifurcate almost equally before reaching quite 

 half their length. Each branch bifurcates again near its middle; the anterior tine in each 

 secondary fork is rather the longer of the two. The posterior secondary fork is rather larger 

 than the anterior. Midway between the forehead and the first fork is a small tine of a few 

 inches, situated a little forward of the postero-internal edge. There are thus but five points. 

 The essential character, then, is that of a nearly equal bifurcation of the horns near the middle, 

 and a second bifurcation of these forks in their middle, the posterior fork rather largest, and 

 the anterior point largest in each. The Cervus virginianus has the same brow point, but the 

 other points are all sent off from the posterior edge of the main stem, instead of bifurcating 

 nearly equally. In some specimens the brow antler is entirely wanting, and it often happens 

 that even in old bucks there is but a single bifurcation of the horn. In most cases there is a 

 greater or less amount of warty roughness at the base of the antlers, less, however, than in C. 

 virginianus. 



In some cases there is an erect snag a little above the base ; in others this is wanting. Some 

 times there is only one fork ; sometimes one branch of one or other fork is wanting, leaving but 

 three terminal points. 



The hair in the winter coats is shorter, thinner, and considerably finer than in C. virginianus, 

 and lies very close to the skin. 



The general color of this deer in winter is a yellowish chestnut, finely mottled with black. 

 This black is concentrated and intensified along the dorsal line, so as to produce an appreciable 

 and broad streak from the occiput to near the root of the tail, less distinct in some, however, 

 than in others. The neck all round and the exterior of the thighs and shoulders and the sides 

 are much like the back, but rather lighter. The under parts, from between the legs to the 

 umbilicus, are mottled like the back, with a strong sooty tinge on the chest. Towards the 

 navel, however, this mottling is confined to the ventral line, on each side of which is a lighter 

 region, separating it from the colors of the flanks. The axillae and upper half of the inside of 

 the fore leg, the posterior part of the belly, and the inside of the thighs, are white. The lower 

 half of the legs is of a chestnut tinge, (lightest inside,) lighter than the back, and without 

 any black. 



In the head the chestnut tints are more or less replaced by grayish, especially on the ears 

 and upper part of the muzzle. The top of the head is chestnut and black, but there is a very 

 decided dark stripe over each eye, converging anteriorly, and meeting in the middle of the fore 

 head. The end of the chin and the sides of the naked muffle are white ; behind this is a black 

 patch, crossing and involving the posterior half of the muffle and passing round on the chin, 

 where it is most distinct on the edges of the lips. In some cases it forms a more or less obsolete 

 border only to the white of the apex of the chin, occasionally interrupted towards the centre. 

 Posterior to this dusky circle on the chin is a space similar to and continuous with the light 

 mottled chestnut of the side of the head ; behind this, for a space corresponding with the area 

 between the ranii of the lower jaw, the color is a dirty white, as are also the concavity of the 

 ear and the base of the ear posteriorly, and extending a little way up. 



The tail is entirely covered with hair, uniform jet black above, except near the base, where it 



