American Deer 



Habits. — In its general mode of life the black-tail is in some respect un- 

 like the mule-deer, although it resembles the latter in its bounding gait 

 when frightened. Such a fatiguing pace can, however, be maintained only 

 for a comparatively short distance, and the deer consequently soon become 

 blown when they start off in this manner. When starting without being 

 frightened, they run in a more ordinary way, and are then able to hold out 

 for a much longer time, as is also the case with the mule-deer. Unlike the 

 latter, the present species is a forest-loving animal, frequenting the dense 

 woods of conifers bordering the Pacific coast, whose deep shade affords ample 

 concealment. In the less disturbed districts these deer even venture down 

 to the sea-coast, where they feed upon the seaweed cast on the beach ; and 

 in their journeys to and fro not a few fall victims to prowling Indians. 

 Like the common deer, this species takes readily to the water, and may 

 often be seen crossing a river or lake. Although spending a large portion of 

 the year in the neighbourhood of swamps, in the pairing-season, which 

 takes place in October, the old stags often resort to higher ground. The 

 fawns are usually born in May, their number being generally two, although 

 triplets have been recorded. They are more fully spotted than those of the 

 mule-deer, the spots themselves being more sharply defined, and arranged 

 in more definite longitudinal lines. In these respects the fawns are more 

 like those of the Virginian deer. 



Although some of the adults kept by him in confinement throve fairly 

 well, Mr. Caton, in the first edition of his book, states that he was never 

 able to rear a fawn. He thinks that under more favourable circumstances 

 the fawns might survive for a year or two, but he doubts the probability 

 of their propagating if brought direct from their native haunts to an unsuit- 

 able climate. No examples of this species have hitherto been exhibited in 

 the London Zoological Gardens. 



Incert.* Sedis 

 i . Mazama spinosa 



Cervus spinosus, Gervais and Gay, Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 3, p. 93 (1846); 

 Fitzinger, SB. Ak. Wien, vol. Ixxix. part i. p. 68 (1879); Gray, Cat. Ruminants 

 Brit. Mus. p. 84 (1872), as synonym of mexicanus. 



Cariacus (?) spinosus, Gray, Cat. Ungulata Brit. Mus. p. 236 (1852). 



