THE DEER— AMERICAN DEER. 



533 



seen others reared by cows. They readily endure 

 confinement, but we have found them to be trouble- 

 some pets. A couple which we kept for some years 

 acquired the habit of visiting our study by way of 

 the open window, and continued their visits when 

 the window was closed, heedless of broken glass. 

 The animals seemed to have a destructive disposi- 

 tion in general, licked and nibbled at the covers of 

 our books, and scattered our papers in sad confusion. 

 No bush in the garden, however valuable to us, was 

 sacred to them; they even gnawed our carriage har- 

 ness and finally took to biting off the heads and feet 

 «f our young Ducklings and Chickens, leaving the 

 mutilated bodies. 



"The venison is the most savory of any that we 

 have tasted. It is more delicate than that of the 

 "Wapiti or of the European Deer; but it possesses its 

 best flavor only during the months when it is fat. 



The Virginia Deer Mazama Deer, which I took care of, 

 Eaaily Domes- would trustfully approach their 

 tioated. friends and would not only accept 



proffered dainties in a friendly manner, but also grate- 

 fully lick the giver's hand. Unfortunately there is 

 one drawback to the keeping of these Deer in small 

 enclosures: they frequently break their delicate legs, 

 and injure themselves so severely that a cure is diffi- 

 cult or impossible. 

 "Fire Huntina" '^'^ portions of the southern states, partic- 

 for Deer in the "'^""'y ■'^ 'he regions known as the "pinejr- 

 South woods" of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, 



Louisiana and eastern Texas, where the 

 long-leaf yellow pine forests extend for many miles with little 

 undergrowth, the Virginia Deer was formerly very plentiful, 

 and is still found, though in reduced numbers. In those sec- 

 tions a peculiar mode of hunting was formerly resorted to. A 

 party of hunters, with their Dogs, would start out after dark, 

 carrying besides their guns a queer receptacle, shaped like a 

 frying pan but larger and with a longer handle. Into this 



THE PAMPAS DEEB. In the extensive grassy plains of South 



than the Virginia Deer, but, like the latter, is a graceful and agile animal. 



"The chase of this Deer required all the cunning 

 and patience of the Indians, before the pale-face 

 entered the hunting grounds with his rifle, his Horse 

 and his Dogs. The Indian disputed the prey with 

 the Wolf and the Puma, and the most varied modes 

 ■of hunting were brought in requisition. The Deer 

 ■was oftenest slain after it had been decoyed to the 

 vicinity of the hidden hunter by an imitation of the 

 cry of the young or that of the buck. Sometimes 

 an Indian would dress in the skin of a slain Deer, 

 the antlers of which he fastened on his head; he 

 would faithfully imitate the gait and movements of 

 the Deer, succeed in approaching close to the herd 

 and then kill several with his bow and arrows, one 

 after another, before the animals would become 

 alarmed and take flight. Since the introduction of 

 fire-arms, however, most of the Indian tribes have 

 laid aside the bow and. arrow for the rifle, in the use 

 of which they have become quite adept." 



America ranges the species of Deer shown in the picture. It is smaller 

 (Cariacus or Blastocerus campestris.) 



vessel, known as a "fire-pan", the hunters placed and ignited 

 from time to time, pine-knots, which are plentifully found 

 in those forests. This hard and resinous fuel burns easily and 

 with a bright light. As the fire-pan was behind the hunter, 

 the handle being carried on the shoulder, the blaze did not 

 dazzle his eyes, and yet brought into bold relief every object 

 for a long distance ahead of him. Deer tracks were followed 

 until at last the hunter saw before him two balls of lustrous, 

 bluish-red light, reflected by the eyes of the mystified Deer, 

 which, although dazzled and amazed by the bright glare of the 

 resinous torch, stood still. The hunter could approach within 

 easy shot of the animal, before the latter comprehended the 

 necessity of flight, and by aiming at the spot between the eyes 

 secured his game. Adepts in this method of sport learned 

 to discriminate between the eyes of Deer and those of colts 

 and calves, which much resemble those of Deer when seen by 

 firelight, and which beginners sometimes shot by mistake. It 

 was claimed that each animal inhabiting the woods had a dis- 

 tinguishable gleam of its eyes, differing from all others in size, 

 shape or color; and other animals besides Deer, including 

 Raccoons, Opossums, the Red Lynx and other nocturnal ani- 

 mals were hunted by the same method of "shining their eyes," 

 as it was called. A' kind of lamp to wear on the hat was in- 

 vented and sold for fire-hunting purposes to replace the fire- 



