SPORT IN WESTERN CHINA 173 



of heads mounted and in my possession form a pretty trophy, 

 and are a pleasant memento of days spent in the Chinese 

 wilds. Though so abundant, this River Deer is quite rare in 

 museums, and it was the knowledge of this fact that induced 

 us to kill so many. 



River Deer stand about 20 to 22 inches at shoulder ; total 

 length, 40 inches ; tail, 3 inches ; heel, 11 inches. The 

 body is tawny grey ; legs and belly, buff ; top of shoulders and 

 rump somewhat chestnut in old males. The hair is coarse 

 and bristle-like and easily pulls out. No horns are developed. 

 In the males the upper canine teeth are protruded downwards, 

 forming scimitar-shaped tusks 2 to 2 1 inches long. These 

 tusks are said to develop in old females, but I never met with 

 this phenomenon. The tusks are brittle and easily broken, 

 at least after the animal is dead. The legs are lightly but 

 muscularly built, and the animal can cover the ground at 

 good speed, running great distances and taking to water like 

 a duck. They are prolific breeders, dropping 4 to 6 fawns 

 annually in May. The average weight is 20 to 24 lbs. ; the 

 flesh is dark coloured. Swinhoe, who described this animal, 

 gave it the generic name of Hydropotes, signifying " Water- 

 drinker." 



This concludes the list of Deer found in the regions coming 

 within the purview of this work as far as is at present known. 

 In the eastern and northern parts of the Empire there are, 

 of course, others. One of these is particularly worthy of 

 mention, namely, Kopsch's Deer {Cervus kopschi), found in 

 the province of Anhui, up country from Tatung on the Lower 

 Yangtsze River. Very few foreigners have seen this deer 

 wild, and only one or two have shot it. Captain Malcolm 

 M'Neill made an abortive attempt to secure specimens of this 

 animal, and writes me as follows : " Cervus kopschi are very 

 hard to get and extremely shy, being much hunted by the 

 Chinese for their horns when in velvet. They inhabit rough, 

 stony, and brush-clad hills about 4000 feet high, and lie up in 

 the scrub and long grass during the day. Size slightly larger 

 than a Scottish Red Deer, and the mature animals very much 

 darker in colour as a rule. Horns pretty much the same as 

 the Scottish Red Deer — possibly a little longer." 



