The Black-Tail Deer. 



179 



to give me an exact centre-shot at his forehead ; the 

 bullet going in between his eyes, so that his legs hardly 

 so much as twitched when he received it. It was toil- 

 some and almost dangerous work climbing out to where 

 he lay ; I have never known any other individual, even 

 of this bold and adventurous species of deer, to take its 

 noonday siesta in a place so barren of all cover and so dif- 

 ficult of access even to the most sure-footed climber. This 

 buck was as fat as a prize sheep, and heavier than any 

 other I have ever killed ; while his antlers also were, with 

 two exceptions, the best I ever got. 



