262 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



ing, that she had a fawn liidden somewhere in the tall grass in the 

 open meadow. I remained hidden in a clump of brnsli and, after a 

 period of ten minutes spent in anxious waiting and watching, the doe 

 went over and lay down in the tall grass. She then gave a low call, 

 which at a distance sounded like the mewing of a cat. Upon hearing this 

 call, her fawn rose up out of his hiding place in the grass, walked over 

 to her and began to nurse (see Fig. 63). This fawn was able-bodied 

 and was at least three days old. It was probably born the last day 

 of June. Two other fawns were observed this same day, so that at 

 least three fawns were known definitely to have been born in Yosemite 

 by July 2 during the season of 1929. 



On July 9, 1928, while watching deer in a meadow in Yosemite 

 Valley, an old doe was observed lying partially hidden in the tall grass 



Fig. 99. Female California mule deer fawn, twenty-four hours old and weighing 

 6i pounds, in normal resting posture with feet doubled up under her body. Female 

 fawns are lighter colored than male fawns. Yosemite, July 10, 1928. Mus. Vert. 

 Zool. No. 5772. 



in the open meadow. When approached within a distance of six feet, 

 she laid back her ears and struck at the intruder with her forefeet, as 

 much as to say, "Keep your distance." The observer did not force 

 her to get up, since she groaned and was in obvious labor pain. I 

 passed near this same doe at 11 o'clock that morning and noted that she 

 was still lying down practically in the same spot where slie had been 

 observed at 7 o'clock. At 12.30 o'clock, the doe was in acute distress, 

 and a close inspection showed that one fawn had just been born and 

 was lying beside the doe, which was feebly licking her offspring. The 

 fawn was still wet and too weak to walk but dragged its hind legs 

 feebly as it tried to crawl about. The second fawn of this litter was 



