Dear Sir.

Your esteemed favor met with delay on the way & I have taken some time since to make inquiries.¹ I have carefully examined my herd of Elk² (26 in number) and am satisfied that there is no difference in color, depending on Sex or even age, at least at this season of the year, when they are just ready to shed their winter coat— The two darkest colored in the herd are females, but the difference in shade among the whole lot is quite immaterial. I shall continue my observations when they are in summer coat & will advise you further.³

Among my deer & Elk I have never observed any female to manifest any preference for any male at any season of the year. Indeed I have never been able to detect any two deer, who manifested a preference for each others society over that of others— During the rutting season the female deer seems always endeavoring to escape from the male. Neither myself nor any of my men have ever seen a female stand quietly for the male   If that ever occurs it must be in the night— When observed, the males success has been purchased by a hard chase, but this has been seen very rarely.

Soon after I received your letter I was called upon by a Mr Reed⁴ who desired to sell me some live specimens from the Rockey Mountains, where he said he had spent the last twenty five years hunting & trading— He is, I judge, as good an observer as most hunters— He had the impression that in the wild state the male Elk is darker than the female, but after studying my herd for some time, he expressed a doubt of the accuracy of his recollection, as in truth he had never carefully examined them with express reference to that point

He said he had often witnessed battles between Bull bisons, but he could recollect no movement or circumstance which would suggest that the mane or long hairs of the neck & shoulders served as a shield or protection in their encounters.⁵ He had never observed any scars nude the mane, though as he never examined for them such might have escaped his observation. He had never observed one to strike the other where the long hairs grow. He says the battle is conducted in precisely the same way as between bulls of domestic Cattle. Neither party gets much opportunity to goad the other, till the vanquished turns to flee— I hope to visit the plains this season, when I may be able to obtain more satisfactory information on the subject.⁶

I confess myself quite unable to discover any advantage to any of the deer family resulting from the many points to the horns.⁷ On the contrary they seem to be a manifest disadvantage, or a protection to those whome they may attack— Once my son 13 years old was attacked by an old buck & thrown on his back, and I am satisfied his life was only saved by reason of the many points of the horns of the deer. In the first charge but two penetrated the clothes so as to break the skin, whereas a single spike would have pierced him through at once—⁸ While the boy was on his back he fought him with his feet, & received several severe punctures in the back part of his thighs, but he soon seized him by the prongs & was enabled to deaden the force of his thrusts till a favorite dog came to his rescue. As it was, he received many deep wounds in the back part of his thighs, from the many parts of the bucks horns. Had the whole force which inflicted these, been expended upon a single point, fatal consequences would probably have resulted— Clearly the many points are an advantage to the adversary. Again, it has often, occured with both the deer and the Elk, that in the rush of battle their horns have become, inextricably interlocked, & both died together. The mode of joining battle, with both species is after approaching each other slowly till quite near by a terrific plunge towards each other, with their heads lowered so as to bring their faces nearly parallel with the ground, so that they can hardly see each other at the moment of collision. It is in this first shock, undoubtedly, that the horns become interlocked— We can appreciate, that in such an encounter the many antlers serve as a sort of shield. Without them, no doubt fatal consequences would much more frequently occur—⁹ So far as I know no animal which joins battle with a violent plunge presents to the adversary a single point, although my very limited information on the subject, disqualifies me to speak with confidence on the subject. The common ram who always joins battle in this way, never presents the points of his horns to the adversary, but depends on the battering powers afforded by the base of the horns and I judge the same thing is true with the Rockey mountain sheep (Ovis Montana Rich.) judging from indications on a single specimen which I have.¹⁰ I make these suggestions, with the few facts stated as tending to throw some light on the subject of your inquiry, not as fully answering it, appreciating that you will be much better able to draw correct conclusions from the facts than myself. Still I cannot help remarking, that it is not difficult to appreciate the wisdom, of a provision, the tendency of which is to ameliorate the severity of a weapon, which might otherwise be too fatal when used in warfare as I have described

Can you inform me whether the secondary or succentorial hoofs are common to all of the varieties of the Antelope and the deer of the old world, and should not its presence or absence, be considered an important circumstance in discribing, their characteristics or distinguishing marks? It is a point on which authorities accessable to me, are quite generally silent, embarressing me much. I am studying with as much care as I am capable of, and comparing the Gazelle of Palestine and the American or Prong horned Antelope as it has been called living specimens of which I have in my parks.¹¹ While there are many points of close resemblance, the former has these hoofs very prominent, while they are entirely wanting in the latter, as much as in the horse. Indeed, so far as my limited observation goes this is the only one of the larger or cloven footed ruminants of this country, in which this hoof is wanting—

I have been much interested in making observations, which were suggested by the perusal of Chap 18. “Animals & plants under domestication” in “Sterility from changed conditions of life” some of which have suggested the possibility, that the fault, if I may use the expression, for the sterility is more with the female than with the male, at least in some cases. For instance, I have a pair of wild turkeys now nearly two years old. Last year neither showed any inclination to breed, while tame ones of same age were prolific.¹² This year the wild male couples with the tame females, though not as freely as the tame male usually does, while the wild female manifests no inclination for the male as yet— Still this may be exceptional, for she is manifestly in some respects an exceptional bird. She has the rare appendage for a female turkey, of a beard, which is now three inches long. This however is not a certain evidence of sterility for I once had a tame one with a like appendage and she was more than usually fertile. These are the only two instance I have ever observed of this appendage to the female turkey— The fact also that both are of the same parentage, may have its influence, and my desire to get a pure wild progeny has prevented me from allowing her to associate with the tame male— They are not closely confined but are allowed the range of one of the parks of about forty acres— I have lately procured four other wild female turkeys which will extend my means of observation.¹³ They are however but eight months old, so I can hardly expect much from them this Season.— They however do not avoid the society of the male as the older female does— Indeed she declines to associate with any of the turkeys, & seems to prefer the society of the common hen, or barnyard fowl

I am also making pretty careful observations of the deer & Elk in the same direction— Undoubtedly in my parks they are not as fertile as in a wild state. But I will not trouble you with extended observations on the subject fearing that my minute detail may have already wearied you.

You cannot do me a greater favor than by giving me an opportunity of laying my observations before one who is so much more capable than myself to draw correct conclusions from established facts— I shall be ever most happy to hear from you, and if I may be of the least service to you in the great work you have in hand it will be a source of the highest pleasure

With great respect I am very truly yours | J. D. Caton

P.S. D^r. John Paul, Secy. Ottawa Academy of Natural Sciences,¹⁴ wishes me to present you his high consideration of your eminent service to Science, & to enquire if an assortment of fossils collected in this vicinity would be acceptable to you & in what way they should be forwarded.