Chinese Water-Deer 267 



rather sharply pointed ; but the tail is represented by a mere stump. In 

 the adult the individual hairs, in place of being uniformly coloured 

 throughout, are ringed, or banded. In a young skin in the British 

 Museum the hairs ot the upper-parts are, however, uniformly chestnut- 

 red, without differently coloured bands ; thev are also softer than in the 

 adult. Light yellow spots, although very faint, are present, and on the 

 hind-quarters are arranged in regular longitudinal rows. 



This is one ot the very tew deer in which there are glands neither on 

 the hock, nor on the cannon-bone. These glands apparently enable deer to 

 ascertain the whereabouts of their fellows by the scent they leave on the 

 ground and herbage. The sub -aquatic habits of the present species 

 probably render such a function impossible, hence the absence of the 

 glands. 



Originally discovered on the islands in the Yang-tsi-kiang, this species 

 appears to inhabit other river-valleys in the north-east of China, and it is 

 not improbable that it also occurs in the Corean peninsula. It is repre- 

 sented in the exhibition series of the British Museum by the mounted 

 skeleton of a buck and the stuffed skin of a doe ; the latter presented by 

 the Duke of Bedford. 



Two specimens — both, unfortunately, females — were a year or two ago 

 living together in the park at Woburn Abbey. And they illustrated in a 

 striking manner how clever is this deer in concealing itself when among 

 long grass. Indeed, unless the tell-tale ears were detected projecting above 

 the grass, it was almost impossible to see these deer until quite close to 

 them, and even then they might escape notice. When aware that their 

 presence was detected, they would spring suddenly up and race off in a 

 series of long bounds. On the Continent these deer have bred in captivitv ; 

 and they are quite peculiar among the Cervicice in that they produce three 

 or four fawns at a birth. 



