124 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



The other species in iny grounds shed the winter coat gradu- 

 ally, much as is the case with the cow, so that the new coat has 

 attained a considerable length before the whole of the winter 

 coat is gone. On the Virginia deer, and especially on the 

 Columbia deer, the young red coat showing through the thin rem- 

 nant of the old one, gives the animal quite a curious appearance 

 for a few days. 



The hairs of the summer coat differ very materially from 

 those of the winter coat. They are small in diameter, and as 

 solid and straight as those of the cow. Coming from the same 

 roots as the discarded coat, we may assume they are the same in 

 number, but they are so much smaller in diameter that they 

 present an open and loose appearance, admitting freely the sum- 

 mer air. With this coat there is no appreciable coat of under- 

 fur. This semiannual change of coat I have only been able to 

 clearly demonstrate on the body and neck, while on the head, 

 legs, and tail, I can only vouch for one change of garb, which 

 seems to take place later in the spring, or in the summer. This 

 is certainly so, on the tails of all the species in my grounds. 

 There, the old hairs are gradually lost through the summer, and 

 the new ones as gradually appear and grow, and only become 

 conspicuous when the winter coat comes on in the fall. The 

 black tuft on the tail of the mule deer is persistent. 



The length of the summer coat on the moose, the caribou, and 

 the wapiti is relatively much shorter than on the smaller species. 

 On our elk it is less than one fourth the length of the winter 

 coat when both are at the longest. On the mule, the Virginia, 

 and the Columbia deer, it is about half the length ; on the 

 Acapulco deer, and the Ceylon deer, it is more than half the 

 length of the winter coat, which as we shall see is very short. 



On the ears of the Virginia deer and the smaller species, the 

 summer coat is very thin and light, so that the blood-vessels 

 show plainly through it, and the ear appears translucent when 

 the sun shines into the front side of the ear and the observer 

 stands behind it. The ears of the larger species are well cov- 

 ered with hairs during the summer, although light in comparison 

 to the winter coat. 



The hairs of the summer coat are without any crinkled or wavy 

 appearance so characteristic of the winter coat of all the Cervidse. 

 Indeed, this coat seems well adapted to the transmission of heat 

 and to promote the comfort of the animal during the heat of 

 summer ; with this great disadvantage, however, that it affords 



