1 82 HUNTING TRIPS 



one tried to approach them, that on two 

 evenings 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 com- 

 mon-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 re- 

 fresh themselves by bathing, as they con- 

 tain nothing to eat. 



Throughout the day the white-tails keep 

 in the densest thickets, choosing if possible 

 those of considerable extent. For this rea- 



