158 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



grounds, from a Ceylon buck. As elsewhere shown, these spe- 

 cies are nearly alike in size, and in many other respects resemble 

 each other. These fawns were dead when found, and, as the 

 weather was freezing cold, they probably did not live more than 

 a single day. 



The ground color is a deep mahogany bay. They are orna- 

 mented quite as profuselj' with white spots as are the fawns of 

 the Virginia deer. The white is as pure as possible, and as the 

 ground is darker than on the others, the contrast is greater. On 

 either side of the neck and down the back these spots are ar- 

 ranged in regular lines, while on the sides below these lines, and 

 on the thighs, the spots are irregularly disposed. In their ar- 

 rangement they are like those on the Virginia fawn. Had these 

 lived I think they would have been verj' beautiful. 



The Ceylon fawns, a number of which I have raised, were 

 quite as gay and beautiful as the Virginia fawns, and I presume 

 the Acapulco fawns would have equaled either. 



The markings on the heads of the fawns where the antlers will 

 grow on the males, would seem to have some significance. These 

 appear on the fawns of all the species in my grounds. On some 

 these spots are blacker than on others, but on all they are of a 

 darker shade than the surrounding coat, except on the mule 

 deer, on which these spots are of a lighter color than the sur- 

 roundings. These spots are more pronounced on the female 

 fawns than on the males. On several of the species there are 

 protuberances, or the skull is elevated under these spots. 



When the winter coat first appears on the adult deer, it maj'^ 

 with propriety be considered an ornamental dress. It is then 

 short, fine, and glossy, with deeper colors than later in the sea- 

 son. This change of dress takes place in August or September, 

 at the latest, while yet the weather is warm, and so it is not 

 requisite that the new coat shoixld be as heavy as during the rigors 

 of the winter. This is the nuptial suit for all the species, and so 

 it is fitting that it should be more beautiful and attractive than 

 later when the sexes have become indifferent to each other, and 

 so have no desire to attract or please. 



Fugitive white spots often appear on the adults of several of 

 the species. I have a large female elk, which was fully adult 

 when I procured her, and was then nearly half white. All the 

 legs were nearly white. And there were large white spots with 

 well defined borders on various parts of the body. The next 

 year the well defined white spots disappeared and the white was 



