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Show 1873.] LORD WALSINGHAM ON NORTH-AMERICAN DEER. 561 1. On the Distribution of the different Species of Deer and other Ruminants in Northern California and Oregon. By THOMAS, Lord WALSINGHAM. [Received April 18, 1873.] After leaving San Francisco, as soon as the less thickly settled country to the north in the direction of Mendocino County was reached, Cervus columbianus (the Black-tailed Deer) was met with. Throughout Sonoma, Mendocino, Colusa, Tehama, and Shasta Counties I observed no other species, although I have been informed that in parts of the last-named county bordering on the Upper Sacramento or Pit River Cervus leucurus (the White-tailed Deer) is not uncommon. In Siskiyon County, north-east of Mount Shasta, I first found Antilocapra americana (the American Antelope) and Cervus macrotis (the Long-eared or Mule Deer). These two animals and Cervus columbianus I found sparingly represented wherever the nature of the country was suitable to them, on m y journey round the south and east of Klamath Lake, as far as its north-eastern point. About the head of Pit River, and on Lost River, in the Modoc country, Ovis montana (the Big-horn, our mountain-sheep) occurs ; but I failed to obtain a specimen, although I saw traces of a small band in the latter locality. After leaving Klamath Lake, as I proceeded in a northerly direction along the plains about Klamath Marsh, towards the head of the Deschuttes river, Cervus leucurus was occasionally to be found, and abundance of the Prongbuck, which seemed here to frequent the edges of the timbered tracts during the day, coming out upon the plains to feed. Cervus macrotis was also plentiful, but entirely confined to the woods. About the sources of the Deschuttes river, on the eastern slope of the Cascade range, I had good opportunities of observing the habits of Cervus leucurus ; and I should mention that the specimens seen there, although I failed to obtain a full-grown male, were larger than those afterwards met with further north, and carried finer heads. They appeared to frequent the thick willow-clumps and other brushwood bordering the streams and swamps. They were extremely difficult to distinguish among the foliage, and remarkably quick when alarmed. As they bound off over logs and fallen trees, or dash through the thicket, they have a habit of swinging their broad white tails with a conspicuous flourish, which becomes annoying to a sportsman, to w h o m they never afford any thing but a snap shot, which is very apt to fail. O n Diamond Peak, at the summit of the Cascade range, Cervus leucurus did not occur; and as the snow was just beginning there, there were but few of C. macrotis and C. columbianus which had not already left the thick timber and descended to lower elevations in search of more genial winter-quarters. After leaving the Cascade range in a north-easterly direction, following the valley of the Deschuttes river, I saw no more of G. colum- PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1873, No. XXXVI. 36 |