lowish iron-gray, with a yellowish red upon the
belly. It frequents the mountains, and is never seen far away from
them. Its habits are similar to those of the red deer, and it is hunted
in the same way. The only difference I have been able to discern
between the long-tailed variety and the common deer is in the length of
the tail and body. I have seen this animal only in the neighborhood of
the Rocky Mountains, but it may resort to other localities.

Although the deer are still abundant in many of our forest districts in
the east, and do not appear to decrease very rapidly, yet there has
within a few years been a very evident diminution in the numbers of
those frequenting our Western prairies. In passing through Southern
Texas in 1846, thousands of deer were met with daily, and, astonishing
as it may appear, it was no uncommon spectacle to see from one to two
hundred in a single herd; the prairies seemed literally alive with
them; but in 1855 it was seldom that a herd often was seen in the same
localities. It seemed to me that the vast herds first met with could
not have been killed off by the hunters in that sparsely-populated
section, and I was puzzled to know what had become of them. It is
possible they may have moved off into Mexico; they certainly are not in
our territory at the present time.

Twenty years' experience in deer-hunting has taught me several facts
relative to the habits of the animal which, when well understood, will
be found of much service to the inexperienced hunter, and greatly
contribute to his success. The best target-shots are not necessarily
the most skillful deer-stalkers. One of the great secrets of this art
is in knowing how to approach the game without giving alarm, and this
can not easily be done unless the hunter sees it before he is himself
discovered. There are so many objects in the woods resembling the deer
in color that none but a practiced eye can often detect the difference.

When the deer is reposing he generally turns his head from the wind, in
which position he can see an enemy approaching from that direction, and
his nose will apprise him of the presence of danger from the opposite
side. The best method of hunting deer, therefore, is _across the wind_.

While the deer are feeding, early in the morning and a short time
before dark in the evening are the best times to stalk them, as they
are then busily occupied and less on the alert. When a deer is espied
with his head down