54 



RECREATION. 



Black-tailed Deer. 



was first noticed by Lewis and Clarke, 

 while they were in the region of the great 

 river of that name. This animal is to be 

 met with from Lower California to Cook's 

 Inlet, in Alaska. In the Rocky mountains 

 and headwaters of the Missouri river, the 

 mule deer is frequently mistaken by hunt- 

 ers for the blacktail. This mistake is par- 

 donable, for the mule deer also sports some 

 black on his fly-disturber, if it may be so 

 designated. One of the infallible proofs 

 of the distinctiveness of the 2 species is 

 that the tail of the mule deer is naked on 

 the under side, while that of the blacktail 

 is entirely clothed with hair. Jn color, the 

 female blacktail is almost identical with the 

 male. The antlers of a full grown buck 

 consist of 2 main beams, which spring 

 backward and upward from the head, and 

 from each of which spring one to 6 tines, 

 according to the age of the individual. The 

 antlers of this species are not nearly so 

 large and majestic as those of the mule 

 deer. When a blacktail buck is one year 

 old he has 2 spikes rising from his head ; 

 when he is 2 years of age these spikes will 

 each have a branch, and when he is 3 years 

 old there will be 3 pommels to each horn. 

 After this, the age of the animal can not 

 be reckoned with any degree of certainty." 



Judge Caton gives this description of the 

 Columbia blacktail deer: 



"Less in size than the mule deer. Short 

 body and short legs. Ears large, but less 

 in size than those of the mule deer. Eyes 

 large and brilliant. Tail short and round. 

 One-fourth of the circumference of the tail 

 on the under side is white ; the balance is a 

 tawny dull black. The black is of the 

 deepest shade on the lower part. Metatar- 

 sal gland between the tarsus and the mid- 

 dle of the leg is intermediate in size be- 

 tween those on the mule deer and those on 



the Virginia deer. Tarsal gland much the 

 same in size and form as on those 2 spe- 

 cies, and a shade lighter than the 

 surrounding coat ; color of body a tawny 

 gray, with white on back part of belly and 

 inguinal region, extending to root of tail. 

 The face is gray, with darker forehead. 

 Under the head, white. Legs generally of 

 a uniform dark cinnamon color, not a 

 white hair to be found on them below 

 the hock. Antlers once or twice bifur- 

 cated. Gait like that of the mule deer. Is 

 found on the Pacific coast of the United 

 States and British Columbia only; having 

 the most limited range of all the deer found 

 in the United States, and perhaps on this 

 continent." 



I trust these data may settle, in the minds 

 of Recreation readers, the question as to 

 the actual difference in characteristics and 

 in range between the mule deer, which is 

 that found throughout the Rocky moun- 

 tains, and the blacktail deer, which" is the 

 form found only on the Pacific slope.— 

 Editor. 



A BIRD WITH MANY NAMES. 



If one is fortunate enough to be in the 

 country during the lovely days of June, he 

 can make the acquaintance of the merriest, 

 happiest and most musical of the oriole 

 family. Who can imitate or describe the 

 song of the bobolink? The most rippling, 

 cheerful, thankful little voice that ever 

 soared to heaven. Robert Lincoln, as he is 

 sometimes called, usually appears in New 

 England in May, dressed in a most attract- 

 ive wedding suit of black, buff and white. 

 He is not so large as his brothers in the 

 family (Icteridae) who are familiar to us, 

 except the orchard oriole. He is not nearly 

 so large as the American robin, who boasts 

 10 inches, for the bobolink measures only 

 6 J /> to 7. Yet he presents a striking ap- 

 pearance as he darts here and there in 

 search of food. He has a black head, chin, 

 tail, wings and under parts ; buff edges to 

 some of the tail and wing feathers, the 

 rump and upper wing coverts being white ; 

 but the crowning glory of his attire is the 

 buff spot on the back of his neck, which is 

 described in "Citizen Bird" as looking like 

 a cream cake baked just right. 



Have you seen a bobolink's nest? It is 

 said that "Whoever would find one must 

 have the patience of an Indian, the eyes of 

 a bird, and the cunning of a fox." The nest is 

 usually placed in low meadows or hay fields 

 and is .composed of twigs and tufts of grass 

 built loosely together. The clutch consists 

 of 4 to 6 eggs, gray in color, with cloudy 

 brown markings. The pair are too wise 

 ever to fly directly into or out of the nest, 

 but on wishing to enter they dive into the 

 grass some distance from their home and 



