18fi CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAMB 



IDENTIFICATION 



CHARACTERS OF THE GENUS ODOCOILEUS 



The mule deer belongs to the order artiodactyla or Even-toed 

 Ungulates, and to the Cervidae or "deer" family. The genus Odo- 

 coileus as described by Rafinesque (Atlantic Journal, Vol. 1, 1832, 

 p. 109) is placed by Gerrit S. Miller (Bull. 128, U. S. Nat. Mus., 1924, 

 p. 484) between the genus Cervus (elk) and the genus Mazama 

 (brockets). Two noteworthy characters which separate the deer family 

 from other living ungulates of North America are the possession of 

 antlers and certain dermal glands. The antlers of deer are often 

 incorrectly referred to by sportsmen and others as "horns." How- 

 ever, true horns are derived from cuticle, as claws and nails are. Horns 

 are hollow and are usually present in both sexes. With the exception 

 of the pronghonied antelope, horns are permanent nnhranched struc- 

 tures. On the other hand, antlers are true bone, not hollow, and are 

 normally grown and shed once each year. Antlers are usually branched 

 and, with the exception of caribou and reindeer, are normally borne 

 only by the males of the species. 



NOMENCLATURE 



Following are references to the original descriptions of the various 

 subspecies or geographic races of mule deer recorded as occurring in 

 California. 



Rocky Mountain Mule Deer — Cervus hemionus Rafinesque, Am. Monthly Mag. 1, 

 October, 1817: 4?S. 

 Cariacus macrotis Say, Narrative Long's Expd. to Rocky Mts., 2, 1823 : 88. 



California Mule Deer — Cervus macrotis var. californicus Caton, Am. Naturalist, 10, 

 August, 1876: 464. 



Burro Deer — Dorcelaphus hemionus eremicus Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 20, 

 February 11, 1897: 470-471. 



Inyo Mule Deor — Odocoileus hemionus inyoensis Cowan, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 

 46, April 27, 1933 : 69-70. 



Southern Mule Deer — Odocoileus hemionus fuligliiatus Cowau, Journal of Mam- 

 malogy, 14, November, 1933: 326-327. 



There has been much difference of opinion regarding the correct 

 scientific name of the Rocky Mountain mule deer. Vernon Bailey and 

 H. H. Sheldon have insisted that macrotis is the name that should be 

 used, while Gerrit S. Miller and Dr. Joseph Griunell have insisted on 

 using hemionus in their check lists of mammals. My detailed examina- 

 tion of skulls and teeth of topotype material indicates that several 

 pages would be needed to give a fair presentation of the facts. Because 

 of limited space this will have to be left for a later publication. In 

 this paper common names are used (see distribution map). 



