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JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 
on the under lip just ahead of the corner of the mouth are bister and the same 
color extends back from the muzzle to the fore part of the face, where, however, 
it is finely grizzled with whitish, as are also the backs of the ears. As usual, the 
spot behind the muzzle, the eye ring, inside and outer bases of the ears, and the 
upper throat are white. In other words the tawny hue is quite lacking. A 
similar difference characterizes the remainder of the winter pelage as shown in 
the two young male skins (both taken in March). The bister is not so deep, nor 
is the buff so bright ochraceous as in virginianus. The combined effect is to 
produce a very pale-looking animal very different from comparable specimens 
from the mainland (Palm Beach and South Carolina). 
Skull . — Apart from the small size of the skull and antlers, this deer of the 
* ‘Lower Keys” differs from all the mainland forms here treated in that the teeth 
are reduced in size, so that not only the length, of the tooth row but also the 
individual teeth are obviously less than those of the other races, in which as 
already stated, the tooth row is of practically the same length in adults from 
Maine to southern Florida. All three of the specimens available agree closely 
in this respect and differ conspicuously from those of the mainland. 
The antlers of the type, which according to local hunters, are of record size 
for Key deer, lack the basal or “crown” point on the right-hand side, but each 
has in addition two tines on the main beam. The length of the left 
antler, measured on the outer curve is 309 mm., of the crown point 42 mm. ; prox- 
imal tine 90, distal tine 50. The tips of the antlers are 185 mm. apart. 
Weight . — ^A full-sized doe is reliably stated to weigh approximately 65 pounds; 
the larger of the two immature males (No. 18497) was said to have weighed 80 
pounds. 
Measurements . — See table. 
Remarks . — For additional information on the distribution and status of the 
Key deer we are indebted to Mr. Bascom L. Grooms, Manager of the Key West 
Electric Co., who has made particular inquiry on our behalf, especially of Mr. 
Henry Watkins, who has hunted on the keys for some 35 years. Two other 
hunters of long experience on the keys have corroborated his testimony. 
These small deer are now strictly confined to the southernmost group of keys 
from Big Pine Key on the northeast to Boca Chica on the southwest, a small island 
some seven or eight miles from Key West. Big Pine Key has always been known 
as the chief refuge for the Key deer, and they swim back and forth from it to the 
smaller islands. From the testimony of Mr. Watkins, it appears that about 
thirty years ago deer were killed on Key West Island, but none has been seen 
there since. Deer were killed on Stock Island, a small key adjoining Key West, 
ten years ago {circa 1910) but none has since been known there. Proceeding 
northeastward, there were deer on Boca Chica until about the same time, when 
they disappeared, and were unknown there until late in 1920 when two were seen. 
They disappeared from Saddle Bunches Key about nine years ago (1912). They 
were also found on Sugar Loaf until the hurricane of 1910 when they disappeared, 
and none has been seen there since that time until the fall of 1920 when they were 
again reported from the island. Deer have always been found from time to time 
on Ramrod Key, all three of the Torch Keys, and probably Newfound Harbor. 
They swim readily from key to key and if hunted on the smaller islands they leave 
and go back to Big Pine Key. Later they will again appear on the smaller islands. 
