HABITS OF VIRGINIA DEER. 47 



The Biological Survey has examined a few stomachs of deer killed 

 in the United States. A Columbia black-tailed deer taken in the 

 Chemise Mountains, Mendocino County, Cal., had eaten acorns and 

 an equal bulk of foliage, mostly willow leaves. A young deer of the 

 same species taken on Mount Shasta, California, had grass in its 

 stomach. Three individuals of the Arizona race of white-tailed deer 

 (Odocoileus virginianus couesi) , taken at different times, had eaten, 

 respectively, leaves of the little blue live oak (Quercus grisea), 

 with some flowers and flower stems of Nolina lindheimeriana ; green 

 foliage, seeds, berries, and the pods, beans, and leaves of Acacia sp. ; 

 and green leaves of Thermopsis montana, vetch, strawberry, gera- 

 nium, Senecio (two species), aspen, and a flat green lichen — no trace 

 of grass or acorns. A white-tailed deer killed in Minnesota in April 

 had nothing but lichens in its stomach. 



In captivity deer eat almost every kind of vegetation, including 

 all sorts of garden stuff. They are fond of acorns, beechnuts, chest- 

 nuts, and other mast. Lily pads, fallen leaves, lichens, and mosses 

 are freely eaten; so that, with plenty of range and an abundant 

 variety of plants, there is little difficulty about food for deer. A 

 good supply of running water must be provided, and the animals 

 should have access to rock salt. If the browse and pasture are scant, 

 some grain should be fed even in summer, and it is best to feed regu- 

 larly in winter. Of the grains, corn is generalty recommended; 

 there is no waste in feeding it, as deer pick up every grain. Coarse 

 hay full of weeds is preferable to timothy or other tame hays, ex- 

 cept alfalfa. Of clover hay, deer usually pick out the dry flower 

 heads greedily, but waste the other parts. In the northern half of 

 the United States winter shelter should be provided for deer. 



The practice of pasturing hogs in deer parks is objectionable, since 

 they destroy nearly all the mast. For this reason the wild boar is 

 unsuited for American game preserves intended for deer and wild 

 turkeys. 



vicious BUCKS. 



The dangerous character of some deer, especially the males, in semi- 

 domestication has already been discussed. The whitetail is no excep- 

 tion. Charles C. Worthington, writing to the Biological Survey of 

 his experience with vicious bucks, says : 



The first serious difficulty I experienced, and one the gravity of which should 

 not be lost sight of by anyone starting a preserve, was with the tame bucks at 

 the rutting season. These bucks from being tame and docile would become at 

 this season fierce and dangerous. They would attack anyone at sight, even a 

 person on horseback or in a wagon. Some of the gamekeepers had narrow 

 escapes from being killed; in one or two instances being seriously injured. A 

 pedestrian's only chance for escape was to climb a tree. Those bucks which 

 developed this ferocity had to be systematically hunted and shot on sight. 



