GAME OF CALIFORNIA 



219 



difficulty in killing all the present law 

 allows need be feared. This is one of 

 the coast counties and is not far from 

 San Francisco, and can be reached 

 either by rail or steamer from the city. 

 In the eastern range of mountains one 

 finds here and there small open places 

 called meadows, and in these grassy 

 spots deer feed- While feeding they 

 keep a sharp outlook for danger, and 

 one is compelled to use the greatest 

 care to get in range. While lying 

 down, however, they will often lie close 

 and allow one to get almost on to them, 



the middle of the day, when it gets 

 still warmer, they often lay down in 

 the chaparral on the crest of ridges, 

 where, if undisturbed, they will remain 

 until driven out by thirst or until feed- 

 ing time comes round again. 



Antelope are now protected by law 

 at all times in this State, and there are 

 very few of them left. They remain 

 upon the open plains exclusively. A 

 few years ago they could be found in 

 large numbers in California and great 

 sport was had by the earlier settlers 

 chasing them with hounds, but like 





VALLEY QUAIL 



and then suddenly run off like rabbits. 

 Deer often have a particular place to 

 drink and will sometimes go quite a 

 distance to get to the place at which 

 they are accustomed to drinking, rather 

 than drink at a strange place. It is no- 

 ticeably true that a deer will aproach 

 a new feeding place with no more than 

 ordinary caution, but not so a new 

 drinking place. It is as if they recog- 

 nized the greater danger at drinking 

 places. Like most animals deer like 

 the warmth of the sun, and after cold 

 nights they can be found sunning them- 

 selves on the warm sides of gulches 

 and canons after they have fed. Their 

 feeding time is usually quite early in 

 the morning, often before sun up. In 



many other beautiful animals of the 

 United States they are almost exter- 

 minated. 



Bear are still found here, but in 

 greatly diminished numbers. The tales 

 told by the old hunters of the great 

 numbers found in the early days seem 

 almost incredible, but there is no doubt 

 that they were very plentiful. The 

 greatest interest centres about the king 

 of all animals on this continent — the 

 huge and ferocious grizzly. I think 

 but few realize the great size of this 

 really monstrous animal, in spite of 

 descriptions of weight and measure- 

 ment, until they stand by the side of 

 one recently killed and have a chance 

 to handle and measure for themselves- 



