CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 323 



In Yosemite on June 21, 1927, from five to six o'clock in the even- 

 ing, California mule deer were seen eating the following : Deer brush, 

 eaten twice by three deer, total time, 3 minutes ; green manzanita, 

 eaten twice by two deer, total time, 1| minutes; tender leaves of Cali- 

 fornia black oak, eaten three times by three deer, total time, 4 minutes ; 

 horse mint, eaten by three deer, total time, 2 minutes. From six to 

 seven o'clock, the four deer fed in the open meadow. Here, meadow 

 fescue grass was the favorite food, being eaten by all four deer for a 

 total time of 60 minutes. The deer fed with their heads down in the 

 grass (see Fig. 82), which was in bloom, nipping off the young, short, 

 tender blades. They did not nip off the heads or tops of the grass as 



Fig. 119. A buck feeding on deervetch or Spanish clover. This legume is of out- 

 standing importance among all native plants as summer food for mule deer 

 in Yosemite. Wildlife Division No. 213. 



horses and cattle often do. This fact might easily lead one to believe 

 that the deer were not eating grass, but close watch at a distance of 

 20 feet showed positively that it was being eaten. 



Near Royal Arches at 6.30 p.m. on June 23, 1927, several deer 

 were feeding on closely grazed open grass land, so that a clear view 

 could be had. At 20 feet, it was possible, with binoculars, to see clearly 

 that the deer were eating young tender blades of meadow fescue grass 

 exclusively. 



On June 24, 1927, in Yosemite, I quietly followed a certain buck 

 at a distance of 10 to 15 feet, when I could see even without binoculars, 

 that he was feeding entirely on yard grass. At this time, all the other 

 deer fed greedily on green leaves on a branch freshly broken from a 

 California black oak. 



