THE KARJACOU, OR VIRGINIAN DEER. 101 



His cry is a sharp whistling sound, which rings through the 

 air far and wide on a calm day. He feeds on the branches of 

 the trees and grass, and in winter scrapes, with his powerful 

 fore-feet, deep into the snow, to obtain the lichens and dry 

 herbage which grow beneath. His flesh for several months 

 in the year is dry and coarse, but his hide is much prized 

 by the Indians, who manufacture from it a leather of a 

 peculiarly soft character, which retains that quality after being 

 wet, — instead of turning hard, as is the case with that manu- 

 factured from other deerskins. A remarkable feature of the 

 wapiti is that the horns differ in form almost as greatly as do 

 those of the branches of trees, no two specimens being found 

 with them exactly alike. 



THE KARJACOU, OR VIRGINIAN DEER. 



The most graceful of the deer tribe, the karjacou, scours in 

 large herds across the prairies, frequently entering the haunts 

 of man. Yet so easily is it scared that it takes to flight at 

 the very appearance of a human being. Curiously enough, 

 however, it will again return to its favourite feeding-grounds, 

 even though the hunter's rifle may lay low many of the herd. 

 It is about the size of the fallow-deer, and of a light brown 

 hue. Its horns are slender, and have numerous branches on 

 the interior sides, but are destitute of brow antlers. 



Let us watch a herd startled by our approach. Away they 

 spring, leaping into the air, turning their heads in every 

 direction to ascertain the cause of their alarm, and then rush 

 off at full speed ; but in a short time, if they are not followed, 

 we may see them return, especially as night draws on, and 

 crouch down in their accustomed sleeping-places. Should a 

 salt lake be near, they will come in vast numbers to lick up 



