THE CERVIDZ:. 67 
Smith and others, who place them in a separate genus — Rangi- 
Jer, —for which I fail to find sufficient warrant. I confess I do 
not sympathize with that disposition, which seeks to multiply 
genera and species on slight distinctions, as the presence or ab- 
sence of canine teeth, or the female being provided with antlers or 
not, as constituting a generic difference. Of the first, third, and 
seventh species of which I treat, I do not speak from that careful 
personal study of great numbers of living specimens, which J 
could desire, and am obliged to depend to a large extent upon 
information derived from the observations of others. Of the 
others Jam enabled to speak with assured confidence from per- 
sonal observations of live specimens in my own grounds, where 
I could study them with the greatest care through a course of 
years, and from hunting them in the wild state. 
It will be observed that in my list of species I have omitted 
Cervus leucurus and Cervus Mexicanus. Ido this because I find 
them to be simply Cervus Virginianus, with scarcely sufficient dis- 
tinctive characteristics to entitle them to the rank of separate 
varieties. When I come to treat of this species, I shall give my 
reasons in full for writing Cervus leucurus and Cervus Mexicanus 
out of the list of species of the American Deer. 
Naturalists disagree, and perhaps ever will, as to what diversity 
shall be required to distinguish varieties, species, genera, orders, 
etc. From the nature of the subject it may be impossible to lay 
down a general rule by which even its author would in all cases 
be able to place some particular specimen which might occasion- 
ally be selected. 
Nor is it of the first importance that all should exactly agree 
on this point. At least it is more important that we get all the 
facts relating to a particular subject ; and then our disagreements 
about names, although inconvenient, may not be of vital impor- 
tance. I may, however, say, that at least. before we can declare 
a species as distinct from a variety, we must find distinctive char- 
acteristics constant and uniform in every individual of the pro- 
posed species, and wanting in every other individual of the same 
genus, which characteristics should not be attributable to facti- 
tious circumstances or local causes, as aliment, climate, altitude, 
and the like, which at most should only be allowed to mark 
varieties of the same species. Still we are liable to meet with 
difficulties, which may only be removed, if at all, by long and 
careful observation and study, which may enable us to determine 
upon the thousand points of divergence or similitude which may 
be manifested under a great variety of circumstances. 
