24 MAMMALS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY. 



Order UNGULATA ; Hoofed Mammals. 



Family CERVID/E Deer. 



Genus Odocoileus Rafinesque, Atlantic Journal. 1832, vol. i, p. 109. 

 Virginia Deer. Odocolieus americanus (Erxleben). 



i?77- \_Cervus dama] americanus Erxleben, Systema Regni. Animal, vol. 

 i, p. 312. 



1899. Odocoileus americanus Miller, Bulletin N. York State Museum, vol. 

 6, p. 299. 



Type locality. Eastern Virginia. 



Faunal distribution. Lowlands, east of the Mississippi, from southern 

 New York and Michigan to South Carolina and Louisiana. 



Distribution in Pa. and N. J. Originally abounding in all situations com- 

 prised in the lower Transition and Upper Austral life zones, now confined in 

 its typical form to limited areas in southern N. J. ; the deer yet found in 

 Pennsylvania being practically restricted to the Canadian form, Odocoileus 

 americanus borealis. 



Records in Pa. As above stated, the typical Virginia deer once found 

 in the valleys and lowlands of the Susquehanna, Allegheny, Monongahela and 

 Delaware river regions is exterminated. The nearest approach to this type 

 of deer in Pa. may yet be found in the Pocono and South Mountain regions, 

 for records of which see under O. a. borealis. 



Records in N. J., Atlantic Co. " I was born in Atlantic County and lived 

 there more than 20 years. The southern part of Atlantic County and the 

 northern part of Cape May Co. are still famous places for deer. I have 

 known of three or four being killed there every year that the law permits. 

 As far as I have been able to judge from my travels through the southern 

 part of the state, the Virginia deer is practically confined to those 2 counties. 

 It seems most abundant along the Great Egg Harbor River, in the neighbor- 

 hood of Tuckahoe, Estelville, May's Landing and English Creek. Hunters 

 from all other parts of south Jersey come there to hunt for deer." Prof. 

 Gifford in letter dated Feb. 4, 190 1. A doe with 2 fawns was chased into the 

 village of Mary's Landing in the summer of 1893 an d killed herself by being 

 impaled on an iron fence. Gifford. Regularly hunted and killed in Atlantic 

 Co. Rarely driven north of the W. Jersey and Seashore R. R. Price. 

 About 1 8 or 20 deer were killed this season [Fall 1901], mostly between 

 " Head of Tuckahoe Riv. and Milmay and Egg Harbor City. They are 

 hunted with dogs exclusively. Weather being dry many were started and 

 lost. The 3 years close season was a great benefit." Hand. 



