130 
ORDERS OF MAMMALS— HOOFED ANIMALS 
on the shore, or feeding in shallow water. Often 
the boat approaches so near a wonder-struck 
deer that to miss it is almost impossible. 
Still-hunting is the true sportsman’s method 
of outwitting deer which for keenness of eye, ear 
and nose, have, I believe, no superior in the 
Photo, and copyright, 1902, by W. L. Underwood. 
YOUNG WHITE-TAILED DEER. 
Showing the conspicuous appearance of the tail when 
held erect. 
whole Family. One fine old White-Tailed buck 
killed by fair and square trailing and stalking is 
equal to two mule deer or three elk. When first 
alarmed, the mule deer and elk are prone to halt 
from curiosity, and stare at the hunter for that 
fatal ten seconds which so often ends with a 
ringing “bang,” and a fatal bullet. 
But not so the White-Tail. Time after time 
the trailing still-hunter, stealing forward ever so 
cautiously, sees ahead of him and far beyond 
fair rifle shot a sudden flash of white, a pillar of 
cloud swaying from side to side between the tree- 
trunks, and the vanishing point of a scurrying 
White-Tail. This creature knows right well 
that as a discourager of cervine curiosity, nothing 
in the world equals a breech-loading rifle. When 
he hears behind him a rustle of dry leaves, or the 
snap of a twig, nothing else is so dear to him as 
space, judiciously distributed between himself 
and his pursuer. I have sometimes made so 
bold as to consider myself a fairly good deer- 
stalker; but I have still-hunted White-Tailed 
Deer in November, on dry leaves and without 
snow, when for days and days together I found 
it utterly impossible to come within fair rifle 
shot of a buck worth having. At such times, a 
light snow means a -fair chance, and properly 
evens up the game. 
During the summer, while the antlers are 
in the velvet, the coat of this species is short, 
thin, and of a bright sandy color, often called 
“red.” In Canada, the Virginia Deer is fre- 
quently called the “ Red Deer ” ; but this is a 
mischievous misnomer, for its use always sug- 
gests the red deer of Europe. The red coat is 
worn about three months, say from May 1 to 
August 1, and then it rapidly gives place to the 
beautiful mottled brown-gray suit, so long and 
thick that the owner looks like quite a different 
creature, and is fitted to withstand the severest 
winter weather. 
The White-Tailed Deer is one of the most 
persistent species of the entire Deer Family. 
Give it suitable ground and full protection, and 
there is no limit to its increase. On Long Island, 
where deer hunting is lawful on only four days of 
each year, the animals are increasing with sur- 
prising rapidity. 
In the northern portions of its range from 
Minnesota to the Adirondacks, where it attains 
its most perfect development, it is next in size 
to the mule deer, or Rocky Mountain “black- 
tail,” and is really a fine animal. A large buck 
stands 36 inches high at the shoulders, is 53 
inches in length of head and body, its tail is 7 
inches long to the end of the vertebrae, and 5 
■ inches more to the end of the hair. A fairly large 
pair of antlers from central Montana are 23£ 
inches in length from burr to tip of beam, spread 
18 inches, and have 13 points. A heavy Maine 
buck is reported to have weighed, before being 
dressed, 278 pounds. 
Usually but one fawn is born each year, in 
May, which at birth is beautifully spotted, stands 
15^ inches high, and weighs 4^ pounds. 
Let it not be supposed, however, that in the 
