Mesopotamian Fallow Deer 24^ 



"figure carrying a gazelle." The ancient Nimroud itself is situated, in 

 Kurdistan, midway between Lake Van and Luristan, and therefore close to 

 the typical locality tor this species, which is the mountains of Luristan. 

 Although by no means exact in every detail, the sculpture displays the 

 moderate palmation ot the antlers which forms such a distinctive feature 

 of those ot the present species. 



Although the opinion has been freely expressed that the Mesopotamian 

 tallow deer is only a variety, or indeed an abnormal form of the ordinary 

 fallow deer, there can be no hesitation in regarding it as a distinct species, 

 presenting very peculiar and unmistakable characteristics. Unfortunately, 

 our information with regard to it is still far from complete, and an entire 

 mounted specimen is still (August 1901) a desideratum in the Natural 

 History branch ot the British Museum. 



Apparently it is a somewhat larger and decidedly a brighter-coloured 

 animal than the ordinary tallow deer, the groimd colour of the fur being 

 ot the brilliant rutous tawn ot the Indian chital. It is further dis- 

 tinguished by the presence of a continuous white line (instead of a broken 

 line of elongated white spots) on each side of the dark dorsal streak, and 

 likewise by the black line on the upper surface of the tail being narrower 

 and confined to its basal half As regards the antlers, these are quite 

 unlike those of the ordinary fallow deer, as may be seen from the figure of 

 the immature head in the British Museum shown in Plate IV. In place 

 of the great expansion of the antlers occurring at their summits, this is most 

 marked at the base of the trez-tine, which is situated a considerable 

 distance above the brow-tine, and mav sometimes at least be cleft. The 

 brow-tine is generally small, and in some instances may be almost or 

 entirely aborted. Above the trez the antlers may be described as flattened 

 rather than palmated, and at the summit carry a small number of snags on 

 the hinder edge. The " record " pair of antlers, which were obtained - Zl£^ 

 from Asia Minor, are the property of Mr. F. E. Whittall, of Constantinople. '^^, 





