Until  the  middle  of  September  he  is  in  the
red  coat ;  after  that  time  he  is  in  the  gray ;
but  it  is  curious  how  each  one  harmonizes
in  tint  with  certain  of  the  surroundings.  A
red  doe  lying  down  is,  at  a  little  distance,
undistinguishable  from  the  soil  on  which
she  is ;  while  a  buck  in  the  gray  can  hardly
be  made  out  in  dead  timber.  While  feed-
ing quietly  or  standing  still,  they  rarely


2o6  HUNTING  TRIPS

show  the  proud,  free  port  we  are  accus-
tomed to  associate  with  the  idea  of  a  Buck,
and  look  rather  ordinary,  humble-seeming
animals,  not  at  all  conspicuous  or  likely
to  attract  the  hunter's  attention;  but  once
let  them  be  frightened,  and  as  they  stand
facing  the  danger,  or  bound  away  from  it,
their  graceful  movements  and  lordly  bear-
ing leave  nothing  to  be  desired.  The  black-
tail  is  a  still  nobler-looking  animal;  while
an  antelope,  on  the  contrary,  though  as  light
and  quick  on  its  feet  as  is  possible  for  any
animal  not  possessing  wings  to  be,  yet  has
an  angular,  goat-like  look,  and  by  no  means
conveys  to  the  beholder  the  same  idea  of
grace  that  a  deer  does.
