THE MULE-DEER 



THE track of the black-tailed or mule-deer, 

 while it shows no appreciable differences 

 from that of the Virginia (in white-tail 

 country), undergoes even in the mountains 

 and breaks, its proper habitat changes interest- 

 ing not only to the student but to the hunter. 



The three pictures of the hind foot of the same 

 four-year-old mule-deer buck show what inter- 

 mediate variations occur in the track of this ani- 

 mal. The photograph was taken when the buck 

 was killed, and the drawings made in the rainy 

 month of June, and at the time of the deer's 

 death in October, respectively. That particular 

 buck had its preferred stand on a lofty ridge, 

 too high an altitude for white-tailed deer to make 

 their permanent abode, though they frequent it 

 as transient visitors. 



The mule-deer always puts its foot down 

 firmly from above, while the motion of the Vir- 

 ginia deer might be called rather one of sliding; 



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