Columbian Black-tailed Deer 
Columbian Black-tailed Deer 
Odocoileus columbianus (Richardson) 
Length. 6 feet. 
Description. Smaller than the mule deer, with relatively shorter 
ears and finer hair; especially distinguished by the shorter 
metatarsal gland and tuft which occupy a considerable part 
of the upper half of the cannon bone segment. General colour 
brownish gray, darkest along the back, with a tinge of reddish 
brown on the head; chin, upper throat and posterior portion 
of underparts white, rest as above. Tail black above, basal 
third beneath white. Antlers similar to those of the mule 
deer. Summer coat redder than winter. 
Range. British Columbia, through Washington and Oregon, west 
of the Cascade Mountains. Closely related varieties to the 
north and south, in Alaska and Northern California. 
Our Pacific coast region is favoured with more distinct kinds 
of deer than any other part of the Union. Besides a represen- 
tative of the widespread Virginia deer group, we find there also 
the larger heavier mule deer and the smaller darker species above 
described. The black-tailed deer, as seen above, has a very re- 
stricted distribution and was unknown to naturalists until the 
famous expedition of Lewis and Clarke across the Rocky Moun- 
tains and into our northwestern territory. These observant natu- 
ralists recognized in both this and the mule deer species which 
were unknown to them and have given in the account of their 
travels excellent descriptions of both. The blacktail is in many 
ways intermediate between the mule and the Virginia deer, but 
has the same peculiarity of gait and much the same style of 
antlers as the former. 
Lydekker writes of this species: “In its general mode of 
life the blacktail is in some respects unlike the mule deer, although 
it resembles the latter in its bounding gait when frightened. 
Such a fatiguing pace can, however, be maintained only for a 
comparatively short distance, and the deer consequently soon be- 
come blown when they start off in this, manner. When starting 
without being frightened, they run in a more ordinary way, and 
are then able to hold out for a much longer time, as is also the 
case with the mule deer. Unlike the latter, the present species is 
a forest-loving animal, frequenting the dense woods of conifers 
bordering the Pacific Coast, whose deep shade affords ample con- 
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