260 Rusix^. 



I have known it killed by the wild dog. In the interior of the Hima- 

 layas many are killed in winter in the snow, the hillmen mobbing them, 

 and knocking them on the head with clubs. I have seen some very fine 

 horns in Kumaon procured thus. The flesh of the Samber is rather 

 coarse, and rarely fat, but sometimes well-tasted. The specific names 

 HijJj^elaphus and Aristotelis were given under the impression that this 

 stag was the Hippelaphus, i. e. the horse-deer, of Aristotle ; but most 

 naturalists think that the Nylghai was intended, and not this animal. 



This deer is found in Ceylon, in Assam, Burmah, the Malayan penin- 

 sula, and some of the islands. Blyth remarks that " the race seems 

 rather smaller in Burmah, the Malayan peninsula, and Sumatra, being 

 the R. equina, Auct. ; but it does not appear to me to be fairly sepa- 

 rable. I have never seen really fine horns from the eastward of the 

 Bay of Bengal."* 



Several individuals of this deer are living in the Zoological Gardens, 

 where it has bred for some years. 



Rusa Tunguc, Vigors {Cervus rusa, S. Miiller), from Sumatra, is 

 another well-marked species of this group ; and C. moluccensis, Miiller, 

 from the Moluccas, and C. Peronii, Gray, from Timor, are also considered 

 distinct by Dr. Sclater, though stated by Blyth to be barely separable 

 from the Javanese stag. All three are also living in the London Zoolo- 

 gical Gardens. 



Gen. Axis, Ham. Smith. 



Char. — One basal and one subterminal snag ; beam a good deal bent, 

 pale and somewhat smooth. Muifle large, eye-pits large, inguinal glands ; 

 feet-pits in the hind-legs only. Canine teeth in the upper jaw in the 

 males only, or in both sexes. Of small or moderate size. Pelage more or 

 less spotted. Tail moderately long. 



221. Axis maculatus. 



Gray.— Blyth, Cat. 490.— Figd. F. Cuvier, Mammif. I. 98-99.— 

 Cervus axis, Erxleben. — C. nudipalpehra, Ogilby (melanoid variety). — 

 Axis major et medius, Hodgson. — Chital, H. — Chitra or Chitri, in some 

 parts ; the male, Jhdrik. — Chatidah, of Bhagulpore. — Boro khotii/d, Beng. 

 at Rungpore. — Buriyd, in Goruckpore. — Saraga, Can. — Dupi, Tel. — 

 Lupi, of Gonds. 



* Lieutenant R. Beavan assures me that tlio largest pair of Samber's horns 

 which he has seen were from Burmah. 



