Pelage 1 1 



females of all species of the deer tribe except the reindeer. As this subject 

 is one which obviously admits of a large amount of argument, and as the 

 object of the present volume is to record facts rather than to discuss 

 theories, it must be dismissed with this brief mention. 



Other Structural Features of Deer. — The general external appearance 

 of deer is too well known to require any special mention, although it 

 may be observed that when at rest they all carry the head well above 

 the line of the back, that the ears are always well developed and 

 frequently large, and that the tail never reaches below the hocks, is 

 frequently very short, and may be practically wanting. Very generally 

 the epithet "graceful" is applied to these animals collectively ; but although 

 its application is perfectly justified in the case of such species as the 

 Virginian and the fallow, it is certainly inapplicable to forms like the 

 reindeer, the elk, and Thorold's deer, the second of which is one of the 

 most ungainly of all animals, while the third is decidedly a clumsily built 

 creature. And, as a whole, it seems that in respect of general gracefulness 

 of form and appearance the deer must give place to the antelopes and 

 gazelles, although the size and beauty of their antlers will always render 

 them a most attractive group. In point of bodily size there is every grada- 

 tion between the maximum height, as exemplified by the elk (6^ feet), 

 and the minimum, as represented by the Chilian pudu (13^ inches). 



In respect to their coat and colour several interesting peculiarities are 

 presented by the deer tribe. All are well clothed with hair, which is 

 generally more or less coarse and stiff", although frequently finer in summer 

 than in winter ; except in the reindeer, it has no resemblance to wool, 

 and, save in that species, there is little or no true under-fur. In most, if 

 not all, species two annual changes of the pelage take place, the one in 

 spring and the other in early autumn. In the spring change the process 

 may be either sudden or protracted ; and in the wapiti, while this change 

 is rapid, the autumnal one is a slow process. Writing of this species, Mr. 

 Caton says : " The winter coat is all detached so nearly together that if 

 the hairs were dropped off" so soon as they are loosened, the animal would 

 appear almost naked, so short would be the new coat. But the inner coat 

 of fur has during the winter become felted together, embracing and confin- 

 ing the long coarse hairs, so that they cover the animal as with a blanket, 

 after considerable portions have become loosened, thus allowing the young 



