90 CERVIDiE. 



open woods, where there is a luxuriant undergrowth of 

 fine grass, they are abundant; and as it is their habit to 

 return daily to the same spots, and even year after year 

 to frequent the same haunts, the hunter may in such dis- 

 tricts calculate with tolerable certainty on finding them. 

 The tender shoots and young leaves of many of the 

 trees of the forest are likewise a great attraction, they 

 also feed on the pendent lichen which grows in such 

 weird-like fashion on the branches, and, according to 

 Mr. D'Urban, the Indians declare that " they are very 

 fond of the leaves of the Kalmia angustifolia, from eating 

 which they become intoxicated, and are easily killed." 



Their general hours of feeding are in the early morn- 

 ing, before the sun is high, and again in the cool of the 

 evening. In summer, during the heat of the day, they 

 lie under the shade of the trees, often creeping in under 

 quite low bushes in order to escape the persecution of 

 the flies, they also frequently bathe in the lakes about 

 noontide. If there is not sufficient water in the neigh- 

 bourhood for this purpose they content themselves by 

 repairing about the same hour to the nearest spring or 

 stream to quench their thirst — a habit of which Indians 

 and others do not neglect to take advantage. In the 

 spring and winter they are said seldom to drink, finding 

 sufficient moisture in the dew of the grass. 



Whenever they have the chance they will venture out 



