130 



ORDERS OF MAMMALS— HOOFED ANIMALS 



on the shore, or feeding in shallow water. Often 

 the boat approaches so near a wonder-struck 

 deer that to miss it is almost impossible. 



Still-hunting is the true sportsman's method 

 of outwitting deer which for keenness of eye, ear 

 and nose, have, I believe, no superior in the 



and copyright, 1902, by W. L. Underwood. 



YOUNG WHITE-TAILED DEER. 



Showing the conspicuous appearance of the tail when 

 held erect. 



whole Family. One fine old White-Tailed buck 

 killed by fair and square trailing and stalking is 

 equal to two mule deer or three elk. When first 

 alarmed, the mule deer and elk are prone to halt 

 from curiosity, and stare at the hunter for that 

 fatal ten seconds which so often ends with a 

 ringing "bang," and a fatal bullet. 



But not so the White-Tail. Time after time 

 the trailing still-hunter, stealing forward ever so 

 cautiously, sees ahead of him and far beyond 

 fair rifle shot a sudden flash of white, a pillar of 

 cloud swaying from side to side between the tree- 

 trunks, and the vanishing point of a scurrying 

 White-Tail. This creature knows right well 

 that as a discourager of cervine curiosity, nothing 



in the world equals a breech-loading rifle. When 

 he hears behind him a rustle of dry leaves, or the 

 snap of a twig, nothing else is so dear to him as 

 space, judiciously distributed between himself 

 and his pursuer. I have sometimes made so 

 bold as to consider myself a fairly good deer- 

 stalker; but I have still-hunted White-Tailed 

 Deer in November, on dry leaves and without 

 snow, when for days and days together I found 

 it utterly impossible to come within fair rifle 

 shot of a buck worth having. At such times, a 

 light snow means a fair chance, and properly 

 evens up the game. 



During the summer, while the antlers are 

 in the velvet, the coat of this species is short, 

 thin, and of a bright sandy color, often called 

 "red." In Canada, the Virginia Deer is fre- 

 quently called the "Red Deer " ; but this is a 

 mischievous misnomer, for its use always sug- 

 gests the red deer of Europe. The red coat is 

 worn about three months, say from May 1 to 

 August 1, and then it rapidly gives place to the 

 beautiful mottled brown-gray suit, so long and 

 thick that the owner looks like quite a different 

 creature, and is fitted to withstand the severest 

 winter weather. 



The \\ nite-Tailed Deer is one of the most 

 persistent species of the ontire Deer Family, 

 (live it suitable ground and full protection, and 

 there is no limit to its increase. On Long Island, 

 where deer hunting is lawful on only four days of 

 each year, the animals are increasing with sur- 

 prising rapidity. 



In the northern portions of its range from 

 Minnesota to the Adirondack.?, where it attains 

 its most perfect development, it is next in size 

 to the mule deer, or Rocky Mountain "black- 

 tail," and is really a fine animal. A large buck 

 stands 36 inches high at the shoulders, is .53 

 inches in length of head and body, its tail is 7 

 inches long to the end of the vertebrae, and 5 

 inches more to the end of the hair. A fairly large 

 pair of antlers from central Montana are 23A 

 inches in length from burr to tip of beam, spread 

 18 inches, and have 13 points. A heavy Maine 

 buck is reported to have weighed, before being 

 dressed, 27S pounds. 



Usually but one fawn is born each year, in 

 May, which at birth is beautifully spotted, stands 

 15J inches high, and weighs 4J pounds. 



Let it not be supposed, however, that in the 



