WESTERN WILD SPORTS. 175 



to Deer. In some insulated districts, as on Long Island, where 

 the Wolf has been extirpated, and the Deer are placed under 

 the protection ol' the laws during the breeding season, although 

 more than a hundred are annually killed by sportsmen, yet it is 

 believed that their number is actually on the increase.* 



" The Deer has one and occasionally two fawns at a birth, 

 which in the southern part of the State occurs in May and June ; 

 in the northern districts, somewhat earlier. In the bulling sea- 

 son, the males are restless and bold, and are observed to have 

 the neck considerably swelled. When alarmed, they stamp 

 quickly and often on the ground, and emit a sound like a shrill 

 whistle, which may be heard at a great distance. When mor- 

 tally wounded, they give a faint bleat like that of a calf When 

 brought to bay, it throws off its habitual timidity; its eyes glare 

 fiercely around, every hair on its body bristles up, and appears 

 as if directed forward, and it dashes boldly upon its foe. Its 

 horns are cast usually in the winter, but the period appears to 

 depend much on the latitude, mildness or severity of the season. 

 While growing, the horns are covered with a velvet-like mem- 

 brane, which peels off as soon as they have obtained their growth. 

 It has often been a matter of sui-prise, that while so many horns 

 are annually cast, so few ai'e ever found. This is to be explained 

 by the fact, that as soon as shed, they are eaten up by the 

 smaller gnawing animals. I have repeatedly found them half- 

 gnawed up by the various kinds of field mice so numerous in 

 our forests. 



" The Deer is an exceedingly useful animal, not only as fur- 

 nishing an excellent article of food to the settlers in frontier 

 countries, where it would be impracticable to obtain any other 

 meat, but also as furnishing the buckskin of commerce. It feeds 



* By the present law of the State, Deer are only permitted to be killed be- 

 tween the 1st of August and 1st of January ensuing. So many Does, however, 

 have been lately killed, with young, in December, in the southern parts of the 

 State, that at this season, (1842,) the project of a law has been introduced, to 

 allow Deer to be killed i n certain counties only, in the months of September, 

 October, and November. 



