158 . THE DEER OF AMERICA. 
grounds, from a Ceylon buck. As elsewhere shown, these spe- 
cies are nearly alike in size, and in many other respects resemble 
each other. These fawns were dead when found, and, as the 
weather was freezing cold, they probably did not live more than 
a single day. 
The ground color is a deep mahogany bay. They are orna- 
mented quite as profusely with white spots as are the fawns of 
the Virginia deer. The white is as pure as possible, and as the 
ground is darker than on the others, the contrast is greater. On 
either side of the neck and down the back these spots are ar- 
ranged in regular lines, while on the sides below these lines, and 
on the thighs, the spots are irregularly disposed. In their ar- 
rangement they are like those on the Virginia fawn. Had these 
lived I think they would have been very beautiful. 
The Ceylon fawns, a number of which I have raised, were 
quite as gay and beautiful as the Virginia fawns, and I presume 
the Acapulco fawns would have equaled either. 
The markings on the heads of the fawns where the antlers will 
grow on the males, would seem to have some significance. These 
appear on the fawns of all the species in my grounds. On some 
these spots are blacker than on others, but on all they are of a 
darker shade than the surrounding coat, except on the mule 
deer, on which these spots are of a lighter color than the sur- 
roundings. These spots are more pronounced on the female 
fawns than on the males. On several of the species there are 
protuberances, or the skull is elevated under these spots. 
When the winter coat first appears on the adult deer, it may 
with propriety be considered an ornamental dress. It is then 
short, fine, and glossy, with deeper colors than later in the sea- 
son. This change of dress takes place in August or September, 
at the latest, while yet the weather is warm, and so it is not 
requisite that the new coat should be as heavy as during the rigors 
of the winter. This is the nuptial suit for all the species, and so 
it is fitting that it should be more beautiful and attractive than 
later when the sexes have become indifferent to each other, and 
so have no desire to attract or please. 
Fugitive white spots often appear on the adults of several of 
the species. I have a large female elk, which was fully adult 
when I procured her, and was then nearly half white. All the 
legs were nearly white. And there were large white spots with 
well defined borders on various parts of the body. The next 
year the well, defined white spots disappeared and the white was 
