OF A RANCHMAN 225 



cass lay was made known by the vultures, 

 gathered together from all parts to feed 

 upon it. 



When fired at from a place of hiding, 

 deer which have not been accustomed to the 

 report of a gun will often appear confused 

 and uncertain what to do. On one occa- 

 sion, while hunting in the mountains, I saw 

 an old buck with remarkably large horns, of 

 us and beautiful shape, more sym- 

 metrical than in most instances where the 

 normal form is departed from. The deer 

 was feeding in a wide, gently sloping val- 

 ontaining no cov^er from behind which 

 to approach him. We were in no need of 

 meat, but the antlers were so fine that I 

 felt they justified the death of their bearer. 

 After a little patient waitng, the buck 

 walked out of the valley, and over the ridge 

 on the other side, moving up wind ; I raced 

 after him, and crept up behind a thick 

 of stunted cedars, which had started 

 up from among some boulders. The deer 

 was about a hundred yards off, down in the 



