Introductory 9 



theless went in herds far larger than the herds 

 of any other American game save the two men- 

 tioned, and was formerly very much more abun- 

 dant within the area of its distribution than was 

 the moose within the area of its distribution. It is 

 now almost limited to certain mountainous areas 

 in the Rockies and on the Pacific coast, the Pa- 

 cific coast form differing from the ordinary form. 



The remaining three deer are much more closely 

 connected with one another, all belonging to the 

 same genus. The whitetail has always been, and 

 is now, on the whole the commonest of American 

 game, and it has held its own better than any 

 other kind. It is found from southern Canada, 

 in various forms, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 

 down into South America. It is given various 

 names, and throughout most of its habitat is 

 simply known as " deer " ; but wherever it comes 

 in contact with the blacktail it is almost invari- 

 ably called whitetail. This is a very appropriate 

 name, for its tail is habitually so carried as to be 

 extremely conspicuous, being white and bushy, only 

 the middle part above being dark colored. The 

 antlers curve out and forward, the prongs branch- 

 ing from the posterior surface. 



The Rocky Mountain blacktail or mule-deer 

 is somewhat larger, with large ears, its tail short- 

 haired and round, white excepting for a black tip, 

 and with antlers which fork evenly like the prongs 



