Note 53 — [273] CHAPTER IV [XI]

Since our return to Philadelphia, the following description of the animal has been drawn out from the dried skin, which, however, is so much injured by depredating insects, that it has not been judged proper to mount it entire. The head has therefore been separated from the remaining portion of the skin, and may be seen in the Philadelphia Museum, placed under the foot of a prairie wolf (canis latrans, Say), which has been well prepared by Mr. T. Peale.

Cervus Macrotis, Say.—Antlers slightly grooved, tuberculated at base; a small branch near the base, corresponding to the situation and direction of that of C. Virginianus; the curvature of the anterior line of the antlers is similar in direction, but less in degree, to that of the same deer; near the middle of the entire length of the antlers, they bifurcate equally, and each of these processes again divides near the extremity, the anterior of these smaller processes being somewhat longer than the posterior one; the ears are very long, extending to the principal bifurcation, about half the length of the whole antler; the lateral teeth are larger in proportion to the intermediate teeth than those of the C. Virginianus are; eye-lashes black; the aperture beneath the eye is larger than that of the species just mentioned, and pervious; the hair also is coarser, and is undulated and compressed like that of the elk (C. major); the colour is light reddish-brown above; sides of the head, and hair on the fore portion of the nose above, dull cinereous; the back is intermixed with blackish tipped hairs, which form a distinct line on the neck, near the head; the tail is of a pale reddish cinereous colour, and the hair of the tip of the tail is black; the tip of the trunk of the tail is somewhat compressed, and is beneath almost destitute of hair; the hoofs are shorter and wider than those of the Virginianus, and more like those of the elk.

Inches

Length from the base of the antlers to the origin of the basal process 2

of the basal process, 2½

from the basal process to the principal bifurcation, 4½ to 5

from the principal bifurcation to the two other bifurcations respectively, 4½ to 5½

terminal prongs of the anterior branch, from 4 to 4½

terminal prongs of the posterior branch, from 2¼ to 3

from the anterior base of the antlers to the tip of the superior jaw, 9¼

from the anterior canthus of the eye to the tip of the jaw, 6¼

from the base of the antler to the anterior canthus, 3

of the ears, more than 7½

of the trunk of the tail, 4

of the hair at the tip of the tail, from 3 to 4

This is probably the species mentioned by Lewis and Clarke, vol. i. p. 77, under the name of black-tailed deer, and more frequently in other parts of the work, by that of mule deer. It is without doubt a new species, not having been hitherto introduced into the systems.—James.