78 ZOOLOGY. 



partly because, in the absence of other fresh meat, we were obliged to do 

 so. Either reason will probably be sufficient to justify the act, and, with 

 these extenuating circumstances in our favor, the sport was the same as we 

 should have had a month or so later. 



"I would here incidentally remark that while the meat was drying, 

 immense numbers of the common " blow-flies " were attracted to the neigh- 

 borhood of the camp, and, in default of some better place to deposit their 

 surplus eggs, would place incredible numbers of them in any fold of our 

 blankets that afforded a sufficiently dark location. In fact, so regularly and 

 systematically was this done that we were obliged to make compact bundles 

 of our blankets during the day to exclude the flies. 



"On the lower grounds (which at one time was a uniform slope from the 

 foot of the Santa Rita Mountains eastward, but now is everywhere intersected 

 by small canons worn out by the action of water), beautiful clumps of Emory's 

 Oak were sparsely scattered over the surface, affording sufficient shade to 

 make the intense heat tolerable, and yet were not dense enough to intercept 

 a good shot, either running or standing. In each of these numerous canons, 

 a small stream of pure mountain water came tumbling from rock to rock, 

 over precipice into chasm, and everywhere churning itself into foam ; while, 

 on the banks, luxuriant clumps of willow and scrub oaks alternated with 

 sweet, nutritious gramma grass; thus making numberless retreats in which 

 the deer might find shade, hiding places, and abundant food. In such places, 

 the does, with their families, were usually found in August, during the heat 

 of the day. The bucks, however, ranged from the foot to the top of the 

 Santa Rita Mountains ; thus taking in an altitude of from three to four thou- 

 sand feet greater, having less heat to endure, and withal a greater security 

 from stray hunters. They were found in great numbers among the rocks 

 and conifers of this higher range, and obtained abundant food in the shorter 

 bunch grasses and the tender twigs of the under-brush. In August, I found 

 their kidneys covered with fat. 



"A year previous to my visit, a buck had been wounded in the left fore 

 leg, about the elbow. The lower part of the leg had sloughed off, and in 

 this condition the animal was frequently seen by the hunters. He was finally 

 killed during my stay, and on examination it was found that the stump of 



