332 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



quite so palatable, as intcgerrimus. As far as deer are eoncenied, T can 

 not agree with Daj'ton's statement, p. 108, that cordulatus is "dis- 

 tinctly inferior as a browse." In southern California Ceanothus divar- 

 icatus is an important browse shrub for southern mule deer. It has 

 been my experience that in Lassen and Modoc counties, tobacco brush 

 {Ceanothus vehitmus) is eaten rather extensively at times in the fall by 

 Rocky Mountain mule deer so I can not agree with Dayton's statement, 

 p. 110, that this species is "except for limited use by goats, worthless 

 as browse." Another species of deer brush {C diversifolius) is an 

 important browse shrub but grows at the lower elevations and hence 

 is used chiefly by Columbian black-tailed deer. 



Fig. 128. Mule deer browse lightly on Cianolhus intcgerrimus in summer but 

 utilize it he;ivilv in the tall and early winter as here shown. Yosemite, 

 September 15, 1927. Mus. Vert. Zool. No. 5498. 



Among the California mule deer in Yosemite, I find that utilization 

 of such plants as sneezeweed, horseweed and California mugwort is 

 most marked in September (see Pig. 129). Even milkweed leaves 

 which had remained untouched all summer were eagerly sought for 

 when killed by frost in the fall (see Fig. 118). By September, fruits of 

 Pacific service berry, bitter cherry and other shrubs become ripe and 

 are eaten extensively at times. Acorns begin to mature and drop at this 

 season but although they are eaten extensively in late fall by mule deer, 

 they become more important in early and late winter. Among the 

 several varieties of oak trees that provide acorns (see tables), I would 



