252 HUNTING TRIPS 



A black-tail buck is one of the most no- 

 ble-looking of all deer. His branching and 

 symmetrically curved antlers are set on a 

 small head, carried with beautiful poise by 

 the proud, massive neck. The body seems 

 almost too heavy for the slender legs, and 

 yet the latter bear it as if they were rods 

 of springing steel. Every movement is full 

 of alert, fiery life and grace, and he steps 

 as lightly as though he hardly trod the 

 earth. The large, sensitive ears are thrown 

 forward to catch the slightest sound; and 

 in the buck they are not too conspicuous, 

 though they are the only parts of his frame 

 which to any eye can be said to take away 

 from his beauty. They give the doe a some- 

 what mulish look; at a distance, the head 

 of a doe peering out from among twigs 

 looks like a great black V. To me, how- 

 ever, even in the case of the doe, they seem 

 to set off and strengthen by contrast the 

 delicate, finely-moulded look of the head. 

 Owing to these ears the species is called in 

 the books the Mule Deer, and every now 



