DESTRUCTION OF SPECIES 259 



female suffrage does not seem to weigh with them. 

 There is no evidence that the bucks object to this 

 masterfulness on the part of the weaker vessel, except 

 that in or about the month of January, the old males 

 leave the drove in twos and threes and shift for them- 

 selves. Natural historians are particular to notice 

 that this act of ungallantry is committed by the 

 older bucks, from whom the conservative element is 

 generally supposed to derive its chief recruits. It is 

 in January that the mule deer sheds its antlers. 

 The destruction amongst the species has thinned its 

 ranks. At one time the droves spread over a vast 

 area, but the wanton slaughter that took place thirty 

 years ago has largely reduced the number. At that 

 time, skins were sold for one shilling each, and the 

 carcases were left to rot by hundreds. Such repre- 

 hensible acts, incidental to all new countries, where 

 greed is generally disposed to run amuck, are happily 

 ancient history, and not likely to be repeated in the 

 Dominion. The number of head of deer allowed to 

 each gun is strictly limited, and neither antlers nor 

 hides can be taken out of the country without a 

 Government badge, which is issued to all licensed 

 sportsmen. 



The Virginian deer, Odocoileits virginianus, is 

 one of the most common species in Canada. The 

 Cree Indians of the west called it the wap-ai-oos, 

 and those of Northern Manitoba the wep-ai-oos. It 

 is found in most parts of the Dominion which are 



