180 MULE DEER

Numbers of stags have well-balanced horns, with an equal
number of points on each side; others a multitude of
points of different lengths and thicknesses, growing in an
irregular way. Freak horns, growing an enormous number
of small points, are by no means uncommon, What might
be considered a really good head of the symmetrical kind
is one in my possession that came from the Lillooet district ;
both horns measure just 28 inches in length with a base
of 53 inches, the spread is 27 inches, there are six points
on each top with a spike of 2} inches near the base. While
such a head makes a pretty trophy and has exceptional
length and strength of beam, it cannot be compared with
many heads if the number of points is taken into con-
sideration. The most wonderful set of horns that I have
ever seen were some I purchased for the Provincial
Government. These horns had a tip-to-tip measurement
of 34 inches and an extreme spread, caused by a point
on each side protruding almost at right angles to the
beam, of 444 inches ; the length of one horn was 29} inches,
the other 28} inches; there were 27 well-defined points
in all, and a number of doubtful ones. It was impossible
to get any accurate measure of the base of this set of
horns, as it was simply a mass of protuberances such as I
have never seen on any horns before. The stag was killed
in the extreme south of the Province, and in the same
neighbourhood several other exceptionally large sets of
horns were obtained.

Many years ago the whole of the ‘‘ dry belt’ simply
swarmed with mule deer; there were also fair numbers
in the Selkirk, Purcell, and parts of the Rocky Mountains,
though in these ranges they were never so numerous,
Nowadays there are only one or two districts where there
are many left. The decrease was brought about in many
ways, but the start began when market hunters slew
them solely for their hides. At one time there was an
almost constant stream of wagons passing from the

' Okanagon Valley across the line into the United States,

and their sole freight consist of mule deer skins. When
this traffic was prohibited, the advance of civilization