THE iMULE-DEER 99 



surrounding- territory. The reader will find some 

 statistical matter relating to the present area and 

 centre of abundance of this deer in the appendix. 



The food of the mule-deer consists largely of the 

 leaves and tender branches or shoots of shrubs or trees. 

 He is more of a browser than a grazer. He is on the 

 lookout always for something good for dessert. Like 

 other deer, he visits gardens and vineyards, and Van 

 Dyke says he is positively mischievous. " INIost all 

 deer eat turnips, beans, and occasionally nip grain, but 

 the mule-deer will spoil from thirty to fifty of the 

 largest bunches of grapes in a night, and later in the 

 season will finish off the leaves and shoots, besides 

 cleaning up the new wood on deciduous fruit-trees — 

 apples, Japanese persimmons, pears, quinces — almost 

 anything in reach he spoils with a single bite, and 

 passes on to another as he does with a bunch of grapes. 

 Bean-vines, melons, squashes, and many other things, 

 he* harvests often more completely than the settler 

 would if he had a chance." 



The mule-deer was evidently not a desirable neigh- 

 bor for the early settlers in California. They are far 

 less abundant in California at present than they were a 

 few years ago, and do not so often visit the orchards, 

 vineyards, and gardens. 



The flesh of tlic mule-deer in the fall of the year is 

 excellent. There is probably no better venison. 

 Grinncll, if I remember rightly, regards this as the 

 best. I have eaten the tenderloin of the elk, when it 

 seemed to me to be equally good, but our hunters* ap- 

 petites have much to do with our judgment on such 

 matters, and for my part I have always taken more 



