.the horns. Colour.—The nose and face are grayish-white, and a brown mark, originating
between the nostrils, is continued behind their naked margins downwards to the lower jaw, to
unite with a dark patch that is situated behind the chin ; the chin and throat are white; the
Forehead is of a dull or soiled dark brown, mixed with umber. The neck, back, sides, and
hips, are brownish-gray, the hairs clothing those parts being dark brown from their roots to
near their tips, where they exhibit a pale yellowish-brown ring, surmounted by a black tip.
The black tips are more conspicuous on the spinous processes of the neck, and form there a
dark line, which is continued, though less distinctly, down the middle of the back. The
colour of the chest is blackish-brown, and a dark line is continued from it down the centre of
the belly; the fur on.the posterior part of the belly is .long and hairy; the anterior part of
the belly is fawn-coloured ; the posterior part is white, as are likewise the interior surfaces of
the thighs. The tail, at its junction with the back, has a dark brown mark; the greater part
of it is, however, white, with a tinge of brown, and its tip is black. The legs are of a mixed
yellowish-brown and black colour, anteriorly, and of a very pale brownish-white, posteriorly.
D i m e n s i o n s .
F e e t. In c h e s .
Length from the tip of the nose to the brow I Length of the tail (vertebrae)
between the horns . 1 0 ' „ „ with the hair
; . „ from the brow to the tail . . 4 4 I Height at the fore-shoulder
F e e t. In ch e s. . 0 - ft
0 9
• 2 ft
D E S C R I P T IO N
Of a full-grown female, killed April, 1827-
Has no antlers; the colours of the fur are more distinct; the upper parts are gray, with
minute specklings ; colour of the chest, between the fore-legs, dark hair-brown; between the
hind-legs the fur is nearly white. The forehead is of a paler gray than the forehead of the
male, and there is a large white patch surrounding the origin of the tail.
F e e t,
'Length of back, from the neck to the tail . 3
„ neck . .. . l
„ head, from nose to between the
. 1
D i m e n s i o n s .
Inche s.
0 Length of head and body
0 „ tail, with the hair, about
„ ears . ,
1 Height, about .
F e e t, In c h e s.
5 1
0 8|
0 8
ears 2 5
C ervus ma crotis, var. /3. Columbiana.
Black-tailed fallow deer. Lewis and Cl auk, vol. iii. pp. 26, 125.
Long-tailed deer. G r i f f i t h , Anim. Kingd., vol. iv. p. 134.
Cervus macrourus. I d e m , vol. v. No. 795.
Whether this be distinct or not from the Cervus macrotis, I am unable to say,
having seen no specimens, and knowing it only from the short account by Lewis
and Clark, Mr. Griffith, following Warden, has confounded this with the “ longtailed
fallow deer ” of these travellers, termed also by them “ common red-deer
with a long tail,” to which the name of macrourus would have been appropriate,
.but which does not apply to this, which is said to have “ a tail of the same length
with that of the common deer.”
. Lewis and Clark’s account of the variety or species is as follows. <4 The black-
,tailed fallow deer are peculiar to this coast (mouth of the Columbia), and are a
■distinct species, partaking equally of the qualities of the mule and the common
deer. Their ears are longer than those of the common deer (C. mrginianus
or leucurus). The receptacle of the eye more conspicuous, their legs shorter,
■their bodies thicker and larger. The tail is of the same length with that of
the common deer, the hair on the under side white, and on its sides and
top of a deep jetty black; the hams resembling in form and colour those of the
mule deer, which it likewise resembles in its gait. The black-tailed deer never
runs at full speed, but bounds with every foot from the ground at the same time,
like the mule-deer. He sometimes inhabits the woodlands, but more often the
prairies and open grounds. It may be generally said that he is of a size larger
than the common deer, and less than the mule deer. The flesh is seldom fat, and
in flavour is far inferior to any other of the species.”