Audubon's Mammals/MAMMALS1_3.BIN/dp/0013/00136.txt

Text File | 1992-08-25 | 20KB | 319 lines

$Unique_ID{QAD00136}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Mule Deer     (Mule Deer (Black-tailed))}
$Subject{Mule Deer     (Mule Deer (Black-tailed)); Cervus; Macrotis}
$Journal{Quadrupeds of North America:  Volume II}
$Volume{Vol. 2:206-212}
$Genus{Cervus}
$Species{Macrotis}
$Common_Name{Mule Deer}
$Log{
Plate LXXVIII*00136p1.scf}

       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                        A U D U B O N ' S   M A M M A L S

                    By John James Audubon, F. R. S., &c., &c.

                                      AND

                     The Rev. John Bachman, D. D., &c. &c.

                   ------------------------------------------
                                   VOL.  II.
                        --------------------------------


                             CERVUS MACROTIS.--Say.
                             [Odocoileus hemionus]

                                   MULE DEER.
                           [Mule Deer (Black-tailed)]

                     PLATE LXXVIII.  FEMALE--Summer Pelage.


     C. cornibus sub-dichotomo-ramosis; auriculis longissimis; corpora supra
pallide rufescente-fusco, cauda pallide rufescente cinerea, apice compresso
subtus nudi-osculo nigro.


                                  CHARACTERS.

     Horns cylindrical, twice forked; ears very long; body above, brownish grey;
tail short, above, pale reddish ash colour, except at the extremity on its
upper surface, where it is black.  Hair on the body coarse, like that of the
Elk; very long glandular openings on the sides of hind legs.


                                   SYNONYMES.

     JUMPING DEER.  Umfreville, Hudson's Bay, p. 164.
     BLACK TAILED or MULE DEER.  Gass Journ. p. 55.
     BLACK TAILED DEER, MULE DEER.  Lewis and Clarke. Vol. 1, pp. 91, 92, 106,
       152, 239, 264, 328. Vol. 2. p. 152. Vol. 3. p. 27,125.
     MULE DEER.  Warden's United States. Vol. 1, p. 245.
     CERF MULET.  Desmarest Mam., p. 43.
     BLACK TAILED or MULE DEER.  James Long's Exped. Vol. 2, p. 276.
     CERVUS MACROTIS, Say.  Long's Expedit. Vol. 2, p. 254.
     CERVUS MACROTIS.  Harlan Fauna, p. 243.
     CERVUS MACROTIS, Sabine.  Franklin's Journey, p. 667.
     CERVUS MACROTIS.  Godman's Nat. Hist. Vol. 2, p. 305.
     GREAT EARED DEER.  Griffith's An. King. Vol. 4, p. 133; Vol. 5. p. 794.


                                  DESCRIPTION.

     In size this species is intermediate between the Elk and the Virginian
Deer, and a little larger than the Columbian Black Tailed Deer, to be noticed
hereafter.  It is a fine formed animal, bearing a considerable resemblance to
the Elk, its long ears constitute its only apparent deformity.
     Male.--Antlers slightly grooved, tuberculated at base, a small branch near
the base, corresponding to the situation and direction of those of the C.
Virginianus.  The curvature of the anterior line of the antlers, is similar in
direction but less in degree than in the Common 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 prongs being
somewhat longer than the posterior ones.  The lateral teeth are larger in
proportion to the intermediate teeth than those of the Virginianus.  The ears
are very long, extending to the principal bifurcation, about half the length of
the whole antler.  The lachrymal aperture is longer than in the Virginian Deer,
the hair is coarser and is undulated or crimped like that of the Elk; the hoofs
are shorter and wider than those of the common Deer, and more like those of the
Elk, the tip of the trunk of the tail is somewhat compressed and almost
destitute of hair.
     Female.--Summer Pelage.--In the length and form of its ears, the animal
from which we describe constantly reminds us of the mule, and in this particular
may not have been inappropriately named the Mule Deer.  The female is
considerably larger than the largest male of the Virginian Deer we have ever
examined.  The head is much broader and longer from the eye to the point of the
nose, the eye large and prominent, the legs stouter, and the tail shorter.  The
gland on the outer surface of the hind legs below the knee, covered by a tuft of
hair, is of the unusual length of six inches, whilst in the common deer it is
only one inch long.  Around the throat, the hair is longer than in the
corresponding parts of the Virginian Deer, and near the lower jaw under the
throat, it has the appearance of a small tuft or beard.  The tail of the
summer-specimen is slightly tufted, indicating that in winter it might have a
distinct tuft at the end.  It is rounded and not broad and flat like that of the
Virginian Deer.
     The hair on the body is coarse, and lies less compact and smooth, that on
the thighs near the buttocks, resembles white cotton threads cut off abruptly.


                                    COLOUR.

     Upper portion of nose and sides of face ashy grey; the forehead is dark
brown, and commences a line running along the vertebrae of the back, growing
darker till it becomes nearly black.  Eyebrows and a few streaks on and along
the neck dark brown.  Neck, and sides of body, yellowish brown.  Outer surface
of legs a shade lighter than the sides of the body.  Under the chin, inner
surface of legs, and belly, greyish white.  Belly between the forelegs brownish
or yellowish-brown, a line  of which colour runs up to the neck.  It differs
from the Virginian Deer in being destitute of the dark markings under the chin,
and has them less conspicuous around the nose.  From the root of the tail
extending downwards on both buttocks there is a lightish patch seven inches in
diameter, making an approach to the yellowish white spot on the buttocks, so
characteristic in the elk, rocky mountain sheep, and pronged horned antelope.
From the root of the tail to near the extremity the hairs are ashy white.  Point
of tail for two inches black.
     There are no annulations on the hair, which is uniform in colour from the
roots.


                                  DIMENSIONS.

                                                        Ft.     Inches
     Female.

     Nose to anterior canthus of eye.  .  .  .  .  .  .          6 1/2
     Length of eye.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .          1 1/4
     Nose to opening of ear.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1         1/4
     Nose to end of ear .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1       8 1/4
     Breadth of ear  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .          3 1/2
     Nose to point of shoulder.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  2       1
     Nose to root of tail  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  4      10
     Tail vertebrae  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .          5 1/2
     End of hair  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         10
     Tip of shoulder to elbow .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1       5
     Tip of shoulder to bottom of feet .  .  .  .  .  .  3       3
     Height to rump  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  3       6 1/4
     Girth back of shoulder.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  3       1 3/4
     Round the neck  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1       2 3/4
     Nose to angle of mouth.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .          3 1/2
     Between eyes at anterior canthus  .  .  .  .  .  .          4
     Behind the eyes round the head .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1       6
                                Weight, 132 lbs.

                                                                inches.
     Dimensions of a Male, as given by Say.

     Length from base of antlers to origin of basal process,  .      2
     From basal process to principal bifurcations .  .  .  .  . 4 1/2 to 5
     Posterior branch  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 2 1/2 to 3
     From anterior base of antlers to tip of superior jaw  .  .      9 1/4
     Of the ears .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .      7 1/2
     Trunk of the tail .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .      4
     Hair at the tip of tail .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .