THE BLACK-TAILED DEER 77 
Tue CotumBian Buacx-Tartep Derr,' of the Pacific 
coast, is smaller than the typical white-tailed deer and very 
much smaller than the mule deer. The outer surface of its 
tail is black all over, and constitutes the best distinguishing 
characteristic of the species. The antlers are very variable. 
Occasionally those of old bucks exhibit the double y on each 
beam which is so characteristic of the mule deer; but in most 
cases the double bifurcation is wanting, and the antlers look 
very much like those of the white-tailed deer. In its body 
colors it resembles the latter species more closely than the 
mule deer. 
This species inhabits the well-watered and densely shaded 
coniferous forests of the Pacific coast from the north end of 
Vancouver Island to central California. It feeds freely upon 
evergreen foliage, and I have seen a captive animal, in its 
native forest in the great natural park at Vancouver, partake 
freely of the foliage of spruce, Douglas fir and juniper, in 
rapid succession. 
Because of some diatetic peculiarity as yet unknown, the 
Columbian Black-Tailed Deer is most difficult to successfully 
acclimatize on the Atlantic coast. After persistent efforts 
with at least fifteen specimens drawn from Oregon, Washing- 
ton and British Columbia, and after the loss of all through 
gastro-enteritis, the New York Zoological Society has aban- 
doned its attempt to transplant the species on an extensive 
scale. Nevertheless, this species has bred and reared young 
successfully in the Zoological Park; and specimens are regu- 
larly maintained for exhibition purposes. 
1 0-do-coil’e-us co-lum-bi-an’us. 
