328 APPENDIX 



Range. — From the Dakotas to Oregon, British possessions to Mex- 

 ico. " The few, widely scattered survivors of this species are found in 

 Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico; western Colorado and Wyoming, 

 southeastern Idaho, central Montana, and eastern British Colum- 

 bia." — HORNADAY. 



Note. — This deer is fond of the open, park-like country. It prefers hills and 

 mountains partly wooded, with intervening meadows. It is, therefore, more 

 easily seen and shot, and is more easily exterminated than the Virginia or 

 white-tailed deer. Mr. Hornaday predicts its extinction in the United States 

 in about ten years, "for everywhere, save in the Yellowstone Park, it is being 

 destroyed very much faster than it breeds." 



This is a splendid deer for game-parks and preserves, from the Dakotas 

 west. It is difficult to acclimatize outside its own home, but this has been 

 accomplished at the Whitney "October Mountain" game-preserve in Massa- 

 chusetts. 



4. Columbia Black-tailed Deer. — Odocoileus Columbianus. 



An animal much smaller than the mule-deer. Tail black, which 

 suggested the name. Antlers variable ; sometimes resemble those of 

 mule-deer; at others resemble antlers of white-tail deer. The color is 

 more like that of the Virginia deer than the mule-deer. Weight about 

 the same as average white-tail, or Virginia deer, No. 5. 



Range. — From central California north to British possessions, in- 

 habiting the Pacific coast forests and mountains. 



Note. — This deer "does not live when brought to the Atlantic coast. The 

 New York Zoological Society tried fifteen specimens, and has given up the 

 attempt to transplant them." It does not necessarily follow that they would not 

 do well in large game-parks. 



(a) Sitka Deer (^Odocoileus Sit kens is). 



The Alaskan form of the preceding ; much smaller ; formerly abun- 

 dant, but " being slaughtered in great numbers. " 



5. Virginia Deer, Common Deer, White-tail. — Odocoileus_ Virgini- 

 anus. 



Also called red-deer, from its summer coat, which is reddish. The 

 coat turns gray in the autumn. The deer is then said to be " in the 

 blue." This is the most familiar and common deer in North America. 

 The long, bushy tail is very white underneath, and quite noticeable 

 when the deer is running. The antlers are round. At a short dis- 

 tance from the head they "drop forward with the beam almost hori- 

 zontal. The antlers of nearly all other deer point backward as they 

 rise. "— HORNADAV. 



