60 



CERVID^. 



In general it is extremely sliy and wary, and said to be difficult to 

 approach, taking alarm at the least noise, even of the making of one 

 of their own party while browsing. Like most wild ruminants this 

 sheep also has a sentinel posted when the herd is feeding. In some 

 districts, however, where they have not been hunted, they are said to 

 feed with domestic cattle, &c. When taken young they are easily 

 domesticated; but the rams are treacherous, making sudden and fierce 

 attacks upon unarmed persons. 



Family, CERVID^. 



Nose tapering. Muzzle moist. Muffle naked. Crumen distinct. 

 Antlers well developed. Sub-orbital pit distinct. Canines small, 

 rudimentary. Fur of young spotted. 



Hyelaphus, Gray, Cat. JJngul. B. M. — Upper part of antlers simply 

 forked. Tail rather elongate, acute at the end. Antlers on an elongate 

 hairy pedestal. Upper tine on inner hinder edge of the beam. Face 

 short, broad and arched. 



Hyelaphus porcinus, Gray. Axis porcinus, Zini. Jerd. Mam. 

 Ind. p. 263 ; Murray, HdbJc., Zool., Sfc, Sind. p. 96. — The Parah or 

 Hoq-Deer. 



General colour light chestnut or fulvous. An eye-pit — Margin of 

 lips, tail beneath, limbs within, and belly, white. In summer a few 

 white spots are present. The young are spotted as in Axis maculatus. 



Length. — Head and body 44 inches. Tail about 8 inches. Height 

 28 inches. Horns 15 to 22 inches, generally short with short snags. 



It is easily distinguished from Axis maculatus (the spotted deer 

 or chittul) by the absence of a distinct black dorsal stripe and white 

 on its haunches. 



Hah. — Sind, Punjab, N. W. Provinces, the Gangetic Valley, Assam, 

 Sylhet, and Burmah; also in Central India and Ceylon. In Bengal, 

 Jerdon says, it is abundant in many parts near the foot of the Hima- 

 layas, in Deyra Dhoon and near the Ganges, Sutlej and Jumna. In 

 Sind, as elsewhere, it prefers the vicinity of water, affects chiefly open 

 forests, especially among the high grass along the banks of the Indus. 



ORDER— BRUTA. 



Teeth of one or two kinds ; all very similar, often entirely wanting. 

 Molars rootless. Toes united in the skin to the claws, which are coni- 

 cal and rather compressed. Tongue elongate. Mammae pectoral or 

 abdominal. 



PholidotUS, Gray. — Fore and hind feet entirely covered with 

 scales, continued to the base of the claws. Mammae pectoral, 



Pholidotus indicns, Qray, P. Z. 8. 1865 ; Gat. Bnda, Br, 

 Ifz/.,?. ; Manis pentadactyla, Lin. Syst. Nat. i, p. 51; Jerdon, Main, 

 hid. p. 315; Murray, Hdblc, Zool., S,'c., Ind. p. 98. [Chulla-Mirroon 

 Sind j Koivlce Manjur, Hind. Dec— The Indian Scaly Ant-Eatek, 



