Game Animals of India, etc. 



ears, the under parts of the body, the inner surface ot the 

 limbs, and the lower side of the tail, are white like the 

 spots. The head, which is darker on the face than else- 

 where, is fawn, usually marked in stags with a brown 

 chevron on the forehead (fig. 40) and also has a blackish 

 band above the naked area of the muzzle. The antlers, 

 (fig. 40) which are supported on short pedicles, are 

 long, slender, and moderately rugose. The rather 

 long brow-tine is given off from the beam nearly at a 

 right angle ; the front or outer tine of the terminal 

 fork considerably exceeds the hind, or inner one, in 

 length, and forms the continuation of the line of the 

 beam, from the inner side of which springs the hind 

 tine. The space enclosed between the two antlers is 

 more or less distinctly lyrate ; and sports, or snags, are 

 frequently given off near the point of origin of the 

 brow -tine. The ears, as already mentioned, are 

 moderate-sized and narrow ; and the face-glands, of 

 which the position is marked by tufts of reddish hairs, 

 are likewise of medium development. The rather 

 long and pointed tail is evenly haired throughout ; 

 and there is no long hair on the neck and throat, this 

 feature largely contributing to the neat appearance of 

 the chital as contrasted with the sambar. 



The longest chital antlers on record measure 38 J 

 inches in length along the outer curve, with a basal 

 girth of 4;| inches, and a tip -to -tip interval of 19^ 

 inches. Many examples ranging in length between 2S 

 and 37^ inches in length are known, among which the 

 maximum tip-to-tip interval is 25^ inches. Chital 

 antlers, unlike those of the red deer group, attain their 

 maximum complexity in the third year, after which 

 they continue merely to increase in size year by year 

 until the period of decline is attained. 



Where chital and fallow deer are herded together in 

 parks, the observer may be puzzled to distinguish 

 between the hinds of the two species when in the 

 summer coat. The following points of distinction are 



236 



