ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1351 



tense inflammation of the entire digestive sys- 

 tem^ and often incurable. Red clover hay and 

 crushed oats^ with cut vegetables added to the 

 latter, are the proper foods. If these deer are 

 corralled, during the summer they should be 

 provided with cut browse, such as birch, willow, 

 maple or poplar. This species readily breeds 

 in captivity. In the mating season many of 

 the adult bucks become highly dangerous, and 

 the utmost care is necessary to avoid tragedies. 



The care necessary to the mule deer, and the 

 smaller Columbian black-tailed deer, is similar 

 to that required by the white-tail, but with the 

 western animals grass should be quite elimi- 

 nated unless it is freshly cut, fed in very mod- 

 erate quantities, and the results are carefully 

 noted from day to day. These animals usually 



even in large preserves require feeding the year 

 round unless abundant pasture is available, 

 when grain in summer may be practically elim- 

 inated. The species is a prolific breeder. 

 Yearling elk may usually be purchased at sev- 

 enty-five dollars each. Breeding females sell 

 at one hundred dollars, while a fine buck with 

 large antlers is usually valued at one hundred 

 and fifty dollars. 



Mature examples of the northern white- 

 tailed deer may be purchased for from thirty- 

 five to fifty dollars. In settling down, this deer 

 often fails unless turned into woodlands where 

 there is plenty of browse. It should be kept 

 from pasturage unless the grass is very dry, 

 because a grass diet is liable to produce a stub- 

 born type of gastro-enteritis, and involving in- ' 



FALLOW, WHITE-TAILED AM) slK \ 1)1 l.U 1- \WNS 

 Immediately after birth, deer fawns seek concealment. Aslwill be seen in the upper picture, they are exceed 



ing-ly adroit in hiding'. 



