NEW YOUK ZOOLOGICAL I'AKK. 45 



captivit}'. Large herds are now being maintained and 

 bred in numerous private game preserves in New Hamp- 

 shire, New York, ^linnesota, Massachusetts, and elsewhere. 

 About 200 head have been released in the Adirondacks. 



The Mule Deer, (Odocoilcus hemionus\. — This fine animal 

 is universally known throughout the Eoeky ^lountain re- 

 gion, which constitutes its home, as the "Black-Tailed Deer." 

 Because of its very large ears, and th.c absence of a black 

 tail, it is kno^vn to naturalists as the ]Mule Deer. Inasmuch 

 as its tail is not black, the above more common name prop- 

 erly applies to Odocoilcus colninbianus. the true black-tailed 

 deer of the Pacific coast. In Manitoba this animal is called 

 the "Jumping Deer,"' because when running at a gallo]i, it 

 makes a series of stiff-legged jumps, or '"bucks.'" of great 

 length. 



The ]\Iule Deer is larger than the Virginia deer, and more 

 strongly built. The weight of full-grown bucks ranges 

 from 250 to 300 pounds, and specimens have been known 

 to reach 325 pounds. The antlers of the Mule Deer are 

 larger and handsomer than those of the Virginia deer, and 

 are much better poised on the head. Instead of dropping 

 forward, they partake more of the set of an elk's antlers, 

 and many a '"tenderfoot"' hunter has mistaken a heavily- 

 antlered ^lule Deer for an elk. The antlers of a I\Iule Deer 

 are easily distinguished from those of the Virginia species 

 by the two T-shaped prongs on each antler. It will be re- 

 membered that instead of these, the A'irginia deer antler 

 bears three straight, perpendicular spikes. 



The 3Iule Deer makes its home in the rugged ravines and 

 bad lands so common along the creeks and rivers of the 

 Eocky ^fountain region, extending well eastward into the 

 plains. Of late years it has been driven out of the most 

 accessible of its former haunts, and forced to take shelter 

 in the rugged fastnesses of the foothills and mountains. 

 West of the Rocky ^fountains it was formerly found along 

 the whole Pacific slope, from Cape St. Lucas to British 

 Columbia, althouc;h in northern California it is almost re- 

 placed by the Columbian Black-Tail, (0. colunibianns). 



The "Virginia Deer, [Odocoilcus z-irgi)iia)ius), is the spe- 

 cies most widely known throughout the L'nited States, 

 partly by reason of the fact that it was the first species 

 with which the early settlers of America became acquainted, 

 partly because of its wide distribution, and also its persist- 

 ence in holding its own. In various localities this animal 

 is known under various names, such as ""^lite-Tailed Deer," 



