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They receive it on account of the colour of the hair upon the upper side of their tail-tips, which is of a jetty blackness, and is very full and conspicuous. The two species have been often confounded with each other, though in many respects they are totally unlike. The black-tails are larger, their legs shorter and their bodies more "chunky," and altogether of stouter build.
One, the larger, is known as the "woodland caribou," because it inhabits the more southern and wooded districts of the Hudson's Bay territory; the other, the "barren ground caribou," is the "reindeer" of the Arctic voyagers. Indeed, when the word "deer" is mentioned, it only is meant. It is the deer of the United States. The "black-tails" and "long-tails" are two species that may be called new.
We did not find the black-tails very palatable, and most of their flesh went to feed Castor and Pollux. "Cudjo was the busiest of all of us. He made several household utensils which proved of great service to us. He also constructed for himself a wooden plough, which would serve every purpose as there was a considerable portion of the ground that was without turf, and could be easily turned.
It was our intention to carry the kettle up to the salt stream, and there manufacture the article as that would be more convenient than to bring the water down to the house. This piece of work we laid out for the next day. Meanwhile, as it was not yet near night, we caught Pompo, and set off again to bring home our black-tails.
In their flight, however, they had gone too close to Harry, and as they were running past his stand, the tiny crack of a rifle was heard among the bushes; and another of the black-tails rolled over on the plain. "It was now my turn; and I prepared myself to make the best shot I could or be beaten by my own boys.
Not far below us, we saw where it emptied itself into the main stream of fresh water; and, keeping down to the latter, we quenched our thirst, and then went back to our work. "We made all the haste we could; and our three black-tails were soon skinned, quartered, and hung upon the trees so as to be out of reach of the wolves while we should be gone.
The flesh of the black-tails is inferior to that of the fallow deer, while the long-tailed kind produces a venison very similar to the latter. Both species inhabit woodlands occasionally, but their favourite habitat is the prairie, or that species of undulating country where prairie and forest alternate, forming a succession of groves and openings.
A log hollowed out after the manner of a canoe, or `dug-out, as Cudjo used to designate that species of craft would answer the purpose admirably; and Cudjo, having chosen a section of a large tulip-tree, went to work. By the time we had got our last load to the house, he had made a cavity in the tree, that was capable of containing the three black-tails at once.
"`Papa, they are not deer, said Frank, as we first came in sight of them. `See! who ever heard of deer with such ears as those? I declare they are as long as a mule's! "`Yes, added Harry; `and who ever heard of deer with black-tails? "I confess I was myself puzzled for a while.
Their form, however, as well as their size, colour, and markings, leave no doubt of their being specifically distinct not only from the latter, but from each other. Indeed, there are two varieties of the black-tails, differing in some respects, although both have the dark hair upon the tail, and the long ears, which so much distinguish them from other deer.
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