EXOTIC DEER. 21 



near Lenox, Mass., and they have bred regularly and done well in 

 a small paddock at Crawfordsville, Ind. 



The mule deer has been crossed with the Virginia and other deer, 

 and hybrids with the southern Virginia deer have shown a superiority 

 over that race in size and stamina. The hybridizing experiments al- 

 ready made give promise of an unexpected usefulness for the mule 

 deer in captivity. Aside from the difficulty of acclimatizing it in 

 humid regions, no unfavorable circumstances concerning it are known. 

 It is prolific, its venison is excellent, and its superior size adds to its 

 value as a market animal. 



COLUMBIA BLACK-TAILED DEER. 



The Columbia black-tailed deer (Odocoilem columbianus) is 

 smaller than the mule deer or the typical Virginia deer. With its 

 two geographic races it inhabits the Pacific coast west of the Cas- 

 cades in northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Co- 

 lumbia to southern Alaska. Although its home is in a humid country, 

 it has resisted nearly all efforts to introduce it into the eastern United 

 States, and the managers of zoological parks and gardens have about 

 abandoned attempts to keep it. If not closely confined, it does well in 

 parks and preserves within its natural range. 



EXOTIC DEER. 



Several species of exotic deer have been acclimatized in America ; 

 and, since the vast extent of our territory affords a great variety of 

 conditions, it is probable that many more species could be successfully 

 introduced and bred in suitable localities. The red deer and the fal- 

 low deer of Europe seem to be well adapted to diverse climates, and 

 are now to be found thriving in parks in many parts of the world, 

 including the United States. A few other species whose habits and 

 general usefulness commend them as excellent subjects for domestica- 

 tion are here named. 



THE ALTAI WAPITI. 



This wapiti {Cervus asiaticus) a occurs in the Altai and Thian Shan 

 mountains, and is one of the few deer that have been extensively kept 

 in sem^ domestication. Large herds of these animals were formerly 

 trapped in inclosures in the Altai Mountains and are kept in captivity 

 for the sake of their antlers, which are cut when in the velvet and ex- 

 ported to China for use in medicine. About 6,000 of the animals 

 are said to be in captivity, but owing to their destruction by hunters, 



° The proper scientific names of many exotic deer are in doubt. In this and 

 one or two other instances the names here adopted are those used by Lydekker 

 in his recent books on big game. 



