Deer of the River Bottoms. 109 



the appointed hunter returned empty-handed, and by the 

 third some one else had brought in a couple of black- 

 tail. After that no necessity arose for molesting the 

 two " tame deer," for whose sound common-sense we 

 had all acquired a greatly increased respect. 



When not much molested white-tail feed in the 

 evening or late afternoon ; but if often shot at and 

 chased they only come out at night. They are very 

 partial to the water, and in the warm summer nights 

 will come down into the prairie ponds and stand knee- 

 deep in them, eating the succulent marsh plants. Most 

 of the plains rivers flow through sandy or muddy beds 

 with no vegetable growth, and to these, of course, the 

 deer merely come down to drink or refresh themselves 

 by bathing, as they contain nothing to eat. 



Throughout the day the white-tails keep in the 

 densest thickets, choosing if possible those of considera- 

 ble extent. For this reason they are confined to the 

 bottoms of the rivers and the mouths of the largest 

 creeks, the cover elsewhere being too scanty to suit them. 

 It is very difficult to make them leave one of their 

 haunts during the daytime. They lie very close, per- 

 mitting a man to pass right by them ; and the twigs 

 and branches surrounding them are so thick and inter- 

 laced that they can hear the approach of any one from 

 a long distance off, and hence are rarely surprised. If 

 they think there is danger that the intruder will discover 

 them, they arise and skulk silently off through the thickest 

 part of the brush. If followed, they keep well ahead, 

 moving perfectly noiselessly through the thicket, often 



