no Deer of the River Bottoms. 



going round in a circle and not breaking cover until 

 hard pressed ; yet all the time stepping with such sharp- 

 eyed caution that the pursuing hunter will never get a 

 glimpse of the quarry, though the patch of brush may 

 not be fifty rods across. 



At times the white-tail will lie so close that it may 

 almost be trodden on. One June morning I was riding 

 down along the river, and came to a long bottom, 

 crowded with rose-bushes, all in bloom. It was crossed 

 in every direction by cattle paths, and a drove of long- 

 horned Texans were scattered over it. A cow-pony gets 

 accustomed to travelling at speed along the cattle trails, 

 and the one I bestrode threaded its way among the 

 twisted narrow paths with perfect ease, loping rapidly 

 onward through a sea of low rose-bushes, covered with 

 the sweet, pink flowers. They gave a bright color to 

 the whole plain, while the air was filled with the rich, 

 full songs of the yellow-breasted meadow larks, as they 

 perched on the topmost sprays of the little trees. Sud- 

 denly a white-tail doe sprang up almost from under the 

 horse's feet, and scudded off with her white flag flaunting. 

 There was no reason for harming her, and she made a 

 pretty picture as she bounded lightly off among the 

 rose-red flowers, passing without heed through the ranks 

 of the long-horned and savage-looking steers. 



Doubtless she had a little spotted fawn not far away. 

 These wee fellows soon after birth grow very cunning and 

 able to take care of themselves, keeping in the densest 

 part of the brush, through which they run and dodge 

 like a rabbit. If taken young they grow very tame and 



