364 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HL'^T. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



Panolia acvticauda, Blyth. P. Z. S. 1863, p. 370. {Lapsub 

 calami for acuticornis). 



Cervus eldi cornipes, Lyd. Nature LXIV, p. 257, 1901. (Based 

 on a head and foot from Manipiir, presented by Major C. S. 

 Cumberland; B. M. No. 1. 7. 13. 1). 



The whole of these n^mes without exception refer to the Mani- 

 pur stag, and to that alone. Consequently it is A, and not B, 

 which should bear the name eldi, Avhile frontalis, acuticornis, and 

 the other names referred to are synonyms of it. For this animal 

 also we may adopt the Vernacular name Sangnai and so avoid the 

 term Thamin, which belongs exclusively to the next species. 



The peculiarly modified naked pasterns of the Sangnai form a 

 special character far greater in systematic value than anything that 

 would be used merely to distinguish a subspecies. 



For B, the Pegu Thamin, unspotted brown in the adult, with 

 hairy pasterns and non-palmated horns, there appears to be no name 

 available, and I w^ould suggest that it be called Rucervus thamin. 

 The adult male mounted in the Museum, from Pegu, presented in 

 1900 by Major (now Colonel) G. H. Evans, No. 0. 7. 23. 1 might 

 be selected as the type. Col. Evans has given a good account of 

 the animal in our Journal* and now tells me that the type was 

 shot at Mohaingjd Escape, about 20 miles north of Pegu Town. 



With regard to C, the palmated-horned Siamese and Hainan 

 form, our knowledge is very imperfect. But the close similarity 

 between the tj^pe horn (B. M, G95. h.), Schomburgk's fine skull 

 No. 65. 11. 2. 1, and the highl}^ characteristic horns from Annam 

 collected by Dr. Vassal (8.11.1.18.) shows that the animal is suflS- 

 ciently distinct to have a name. This, if JR.ucervus is recognized as 

 a genus, should be 'platyceros, for Gray's Panolia ]ilatyceros is then 

 not invalidated by Cuvier's Cervus 'platyceros, as Lydekker took to be 

 the case. 



Whether the Western Siamese form is platyceros or thamin 

 remains to be proved, and it is possible that the two will be found 

 to grade into each other, but I think it most convenient now to use 

 a binomial for the comparatively Avell-known Burmese animal. 



With regard to the Hainan representative of II. platyceros I am 

 inclined to believe it forms a distinct local subspecies, which may 

 be termed 



Rucervus platyceros hainamis, subsp. n. 



Horns smaller and weaker than those of true platyceros of corres- 

 ponding ages. Snags at the junction of the brow-antler and the 

 beam almost or entirely absent, these being large and conspicuous, 

 often three in number, in true platyceros. 



• J. Bomb. N. H. Soc, Vol. IX, p. aSC, ISitr,. 



