The Common Dca', — Ccrviis Virgruianm. 87 



vmco, but cannot testify from j; ersonal observation to tie truth of this state- 

 «nent. 



NoTR. — Pr^ifessor Owen ranks certain remains of the English Stajj amon^ the 

 fossils of the British Isloii. He says, " the most common fossil remains ot the 

 Deer-Tribe are those which cannot be satisiactorily distinjiuished from the same 

 parts ol' (Cerrns chiphns,) v/hich most aboiinded in the forests of En^^land until the 

 sixteenth century, and which still enjoys a kind of wild lit^', by virtue of strict prO' 

 ■tecting laws, in t'jc mountains of Scotland. 



'J'he oldest stratmn in llritain yieldina; evidence of a Cerj-ns of the size of the 

 Red-deer, is the red-crag at New'uourne. Prlore conclusive evidence of the specific 

 'Character of this sized Deer is aliorded by antlers as well as teeth and bonis, and 

 these attest tbe existence of the Cervtts fulapJins through intermediate formations, 

 as the newer fresli water pliocene, and the mammoth filt of ossilcrous caves, np to 

 the 2:rowth of existing turbaries and peat bogs. ] found remains of this round 

 antlered Deer in all the collections of mammalian fossils from tbe fitivio marine 

 crag, and more recent fresh water and lignite I)cds in Norfolk, .^uffolk, and Essex. 

 •Similar remains have been obtained from the lacustrine deposits in Yorkshire ; the 

 head, with antlers, two feet ten inches in length, figured by Knowlton in the 

 *' Philosophical Transactions" for 17-4G, pi. I, fig 2, was dug out of a bed of sand ia 

 the rivei- Uye, in the East r{i<ling of thut country. Owem's British Fossil 

 Mam.mals and Birds, pages 472 aud473. 



ARTICLE XL — On ike Common Deer, (Cervus Virginiamus.) 



(GENUS CERVUS.) 



Dental Formula. 

 Incisive, ^ ; Canine, ^—^ ; Molar, |-^. — 32, 



Horns always present in the male, branched, sub-palmated cr simple, 

 the horns arising rounded from a burr or rose shaped base, ears large, no 

 canine teeth, a muzzle, tail short and bushy. 



The generic name is from the Latin [Cervus) a deer. There are five 

 species of the genus in North America, (see note page 61, last number,) of 

 which only one [Cervus Virginianus) ranges into Canada. 



Cervus Virginianus, (Say.) 



Reddish or hluish g7-cy, according fo the season, young spotted with 

 tuhite, horns of moderate size, curving forward, tvith the concave part in 

 front, icith from one to six points, occas:oimllij palmated. 



The Virginian deer is a beautiful and graceful animal still abounding in 

 all the newer settlements of Upper Canada, and also though less numerously 

 througlioit the South-eastern and Western portions of Lower Canada, lo 

 form it is perhaps the most elegant of all the North American deer. It has 

 a long tapering pointed head, and large lustrous bluish black eyes. The legs 

 «,re slender, but well formed, and in proportion to their size, possessed of 

 prodigious muscular strength, v/hile the body is moderately stout and flexible. 

 The horns are not large, but they are v;ell armed with strong and sharp 

 spikes. They are near their base bent l>ackwards, and in the upper half 

 turned forward. They are usually cylindrical, but they are also sometimes 

 jffliet with a good deal palmated. They vary very much in size and shape, upon 



