OF A RANCHMAN 231 



terion, a mink or even a weasel would have 

 to stand as high up in the scale as a deer, 

 were the animals equally plenty. 



Ranged in the order of the difficulty with 

 which they are approached and slain, plains 

 game stand as follows: big-horn, antelope, 

 white-tail, black-tail, elk, and buffalo. But, 

 as regards" the amount of manly sport fur- 

 nished by the chase of each, the white-tail 

 should stand at the bottom of the list, and 

 the elk and black-tail abreast of the ante- 

 lope. 



Other things being equal, the length of 

 an animal's stay in the land, when the arch 

 foe of all lower forms of animal life has 

 made his appearance, therein, depends upon 

 the difficulty with which he is hunted and 

 slain. But other influences have to be taken 

 into account. The big-horn is shy and re- 

 tiring; very few, compared to the whole 

 number will be killed; and yet the others 

 vanish completely. Apparently they will not 

 remain where they are hunted and dis- 

 turbed. With antelope and white-tail this 



