3l8 ECONOMIC MAMMALOGY 



thickets were undamaged." 47 Probably such serious damage was be- 

 cause the districts were overstocked with deer and their food conse- 

 quently scarce, as is suggested by the fact that no damage was done 

 where there were aspen and cherry thickets. Because of the damage to 

 the young trees it was decided by the state authorities to ' 'curtail the 

 planting of forest tree seedlings until they are certain these will not 

 be consumed by deer which lack sufficient natural food during the win- 

 ter." 48 



There has been an interesting discussion of the "deer line," or "plim- 

 soll" line of the white cedar forests on the shores of certain Adiron- 

 dack lakes. 49 The term "plimsoll" is derived from the line on the hull 

 of a ship which marks the water line when the vessel is loaded as 

 heavily as is safe. In the discussion of the work of deer it refers to 

 the uniform line, parallel with the water or ice of the lakes, to which 

 the branches of the cedars are trimmed from below. It is claimed by 

 some that this line is caused by the deer browsing while standing on 

 the level platform of the ice during the winter, and rearing on their 

 hind legs. Though this has been denied by others, it is consistent 

 with other facts concerning the effect of browsing by deer in the win- 

 ter when food is scarce. Though overbrowsing from below does not 

 seriously injure large trees, browsing on young trees may prevent 

 them from getting a start. Hence, as the old trees must eventually die, 

 if overbrowsing should continue indefinitely it might destroy the for- 

 est. Thus it is said that overbrowsing by deer and cattle in Kaibab 

 Forest keeps the young aspens from getting a start. 50 



The flesh of deer being valuable as food, the skins used in the manu- 

 facture of leather (buckskin) of special excellence for some purposes, 

 the antlers made into handles for knives, forks, etc., and the waste 

 therefrom made into gelatine or into size used in the manufacture of 

 cloth, the ease with which they may be reared and kept in captivity 

 has naturally suggested deer farming. 51 Though deer have never been 



47 Deer destroy Pennsylvania tree plantations, Amer. Forests and Forest Life, 

 xxxiv, 252, 1928. 



48 The Pennsylvania deer problem, Pennsylvania Game Comm. Bull. No. 12, pp. 

 10-11, 1929. 



49 Johnson, On the supposed relation of deer to cedars bordering certain Adiron- 

 lakes, Journ. Mammalogy, vni, 213-221, 1927. Burnham, Journ. Mammalogy, ix, 43- 

 47, 1928. Merriam, Mammals of the Adirondack region, pp. iio-iii, 1886. Bailey, 

 American Game, xvii, 56-66, 1929. 



50 Adams, Ecological conditions in national forests and national parks, Scientific 

 Monthly, xx, 561-593, 1925. 



01 Lantz, Raising deer and other large game animals in the United States, U. S. 

 Biol. Surv. Bull. No. 36, 1910; Deer farming in the United States, Farmers' Bull., 

 No. 330, 1908. Natl. Geog. Mag., xxi, 269, 1910. Roseberry, Experience in raising 

 Virginia deer, in Jones, Fur farming in Canada, pp. 118-119, I 9 I 3- 



