The Black-Tail Deer. J 5i 



hounds to be killed by bucks which they had brought to 

 bay in the rutting season. One of these bucks was a 

 savage old fellow with great thick neck and sharp-pointed 

 antlers. He came to bay in a stream, under a bank thickly 

 matted with willows which grew down into the water, 

 guarding his rear and flanks, while there was a small pool 

 in his front across which the hounds had to swim. Back- 

 ing in among the willows he rushed out at every dog that 

 came near, striking it under water with his forefeet, and 

 then again retreating to his fortress. In this way he kept 

 the whole pack off, and so injured one hound that he had 

 to be killed. Indeed, a full-grown buck with antlers 

 would be a match for a wolf, unless surprised, and could 

 not improbably beat off a cougar if he received the latter's 

 spring fairly on his prong points. 



Bucks fight fiercely among themselves during the rut- 

 ting season. At that time the black-tail, unlike the white- 

 tail, is found in bands, somewhat like those of the elk, 

 but much smaller, and the bucks of each band keep up an 

 incessant warfare. A weak buck promptly gets out of the 

 way if charged by a large one ; but when two of equal 

 strength come together the battle is well fought. In- 

 stances occasionally occur, of a pair of these duellists getting 

 their horns firmly interlocked and thus perishing ; but these 

 instances are much rarer, owing to the shape of the antlers, 

 than with the white-tail, of which species I have in my own 

 experience come across two or three sets of skulls held to- 

 gether by their interlacing antlers, the bearers of which 

 had doubtless died owing to their inability to break away 

 from each other. 



