HYBRIDITY OF THE CERVID^. 313 



between tlie Virginia buck and the Acapulco doe. In the first 

 case the male was three years old, in full health and vigor, and 

 the female was two years old, in fine condition. During that sea- 

 son there was no buck of her own species about the place old 

 enough for service. She did not receive the Columbia buck, with 

 which she had been long acquainted, till six weeks after the usual 

 season. Before the fawn was dropped she had become sickly 

 and both the mother and offspring died within four montlis after. 



I had previously kept the same male with an older female 

 mule deer confined together in a small inclosure for some 

 months during the proper season, but she refused all his advances 

 persistently, nor did he manifest much ardor in the pursuit. The 

 year before I had kejDt this same female mule deer with a male 

 of the same species, and a female Columbia deer with this same 

 male of that species in the vineyard, and each doe produced a 

 pair of fawns true to their species, although the male of C. ma- 

 crotis was older and stronger than that of 0. Coluvihianus, and 

 always manifested a hostile disposition towards him, so that it 

 was clearly the choice of the female which determined the pater- 

 nity. 



In the second case, both male and female were in fine condi- 

 tion ; had been brought from California in the same cage, and for 

 a time at least after their arrival associated much together ; and 

 I had no male deer of the same species with the female, and still 

 they passed by the ordinary season without coupling, and the 

 union only took place six months later, and the offspring when 

 produced was still-born, or at least was dead when found. 



The next fall the Ceylon buck met with an accident and died 

 before the rut. In his absence the Ceylon does associated, prob- 

 ably reluctantly, with a Virginia buck, from which the oldest 

 produced two hybrids, and the youngest one. These were born 

 after the usual season, but have always been healthy and vigor- 

 ous, and partake largely of the qualities of the sire. They are 

 nearly as large as the Virginia fawns of the same age, and the 

 tuft of hair over the metatarsal gland is so conspicuous that 

 it may be seen nearly as far as on the Virginia deer, while on 

 their mothers it can only be seen on very close inspection. All 

 the Ceylon does have freely bred to the Virginia buck ever since. 



The Acapulco doe which had reluctantly bred to the Ceylon 

 buck six months after the usual time, after his death refused the 

 advances of the Virginia buck for the first season, but finally 

 submitted, and produced two fine hybrids, which, by November, 



