242 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



in the water is by the tail — an unreachable member ; 

 for the animal is an expert and swift swimmer, who 

 learned the art when he was but three or four months 

 old, and now that he is older his legs are by no means 

 hampered by so light a task. 



Contending for half the year with the severities of 

 a hard climate where the mercury frequently drops 

 thirty degrees below zero ; chased not infrequently by 

 his deadliest enemy, the panther 

 {Felts concolor) ; 

 hunted night 

 and day by 

 another 



„„„,„ i« ((.„,„ 



Two young Female Deer. 



not less deadly enemy, man, the wonder is that the 

 Virginia deer survives in the face of such terrific 

 odds. But, given a fair chance, he holds his own in 

 the wilderness, and with the protection of admirably 

 effective game laws, there is no reason why he should 

 not increase. 



In the Adirondacks there have been three ways 

 in common practice of hunting the deer : The first is 

 by shooting him at night, as he feeds on the margin 



