THE BLACK-TAIL DEER 115 



" But curiosity brought them back, and with thcni 

 another, and all four came into my garden, and satis- 

 fied that I meant them no ill, began to feed, actually 

 eating breakfast with me, like tame, gentle sheep 

 around a shepherd — rare company, and the most 

 graceful in movements and attitudes. I eagerly 

 watched them while they fed on ceanothus and wild 

 cherry, daintily cutting single leaves here and there 

 from the side of the hedge, turning now and then to 

 snip a few leaves of mint from the midst of the garden- 

 fliowers. Grass they did not eat at all. No wonder 

 the contents of the deer's stomach are eaten by the 

 Indians." 



Mr. INIuir again tells us of the movements of the 

 deer: 



" Toward the end of the Indian summer, when the 

 young are strong, the deer begin to gather in little 

 bands of from six to fifteen or twenty, and on the ap- 

 proach of the first snow-storm they set out on their 

 march down the mountains to their winter quarters, 

 lingering usually on warm hill-sides and spurs eight or 

 ten miles below the summits as if loath to leave. 

 About the end of November a heavy far-reaching 

 storm drives them down in haste along the dividing 

 ridges between the rivers, led by old, experienced 

 bucks, whose knowledge of the topography is won- 

 derful. 



" Then, when deer are coming down, the Indians 

 have a fall hunt — wait for them and waylay them. 

 Great preparations are made. Men and women, 

 young and old, set forth together. Camps are made 

 on the fleer highways. 



