NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK HOLLISTER 299 



The Virginia deer is probably the best known big game animal in 

 the United States. It ranges, in some of its geographical forms, from 

 New Brunswick to South America. In addition to the common form 

 of the eastern United States, one of the tropical species, the beautiful 

 Panama deer (O. chiriquensis) , is on exhibition. It is greatly to be 

 regretted that the quarantine regulations now in force against hoofed 

 mammals from South America make it virtually impossible to import 

 and exhibit any of the remarkable and characteristic species of deer 

 native to that country. These are of types very different from the 

 deer of other lands and should be shown in the park. 



Among the Old World kinds none are more beautiful and attrac- 

 tive than the fallow deer (Dama dama). These deer are spotted in 

 summer, but the winter coat is of uniform color; the antlers are 

 comparatively large and somewhat flattened or palmate. This species 

 is a native of the Mediterranean region, but has long been introduced 

 in western Europe where it lives in a wild or semidomestic state. 

 Blackish and light colored varieties have been bred, and specimens 

 of the former are usually to be seen in the park herd. 



The axis deer or chital {Axis axis) is spotted at all seasons. It 

 is a native of India and a closely related form is known from Ceylon. 

 The antlers of this deer are long, slender, and of three tines — a 

 prominent brow tine and one fork above. Another spotted oriental 

 species shown is the hog deer (Hyelaphus porcinus). This is a more 

 sturdy species than the axis, but is only about 26 inches high at the 

 shoulder. 



The large group of oriental deer known as the rusine species is 

 represented in the park by the sambar (Rusa unicolor). Numerous 

 species of Rusa occur throughout southeastern Asia and on many of 

 the East Indian Islands. Most of the larger islands of the Philip- 

 pine Archipelago have their distinct species, sometimes two. The 

 antlers are normally stout and of three tines, but in some species are 

 very small and with elongated pedicles. 



The park possesses a fine herd of the barasingha, or swamp deer of 

 India (Rucervus duvaucelii). This striking species thrives in the 

 large paddocks provided for it. Its antlers are large, sweeping, and 

 many-tined. A near relative is the Burmese deer (R. eldii). The 

 little Japanese deer (Sika nippon), one of the most satisfactory 

 species for park purposes, also is shown. 



A small herd of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), imported from 

 Norway, may be seen in a large paddock near the buffalo range. 

 These deer are particularly interesting because of the fact that both 

 sexes grow antlers. The American representative of the reindeer is 

 the caribou, found in the northern parts of the continent. 



