The Para, or Hog-Deer 



THE PARA, OR HOG-DEER 



{Cervus porciyius) 



Native Names. — Para^ Hindustani, Sindi, and 

 Punjabi ; Dodar in Rohilcund ; Khar laguna in 

 THE Nepal Terai ; Nutrini haran, Bengali ; 

 Will-muha^ Cingalese ; Darai or Dayai, Burmese. 



(Plate vii, fig. i) 



The para is the smallest of the Indian rusa-like 

 deer, its height at the shoulder commonly ranging 

 between 25 and 29 inches. Certain characters in the 

 skull distinguish this species from the sambar and chital 

 (which belong to the sub-genus Rusa\ and it is 

 accordingly referred to a distinct sub-genus, Hyelaphus. 

 The general build is low and heavy, with the legs and 

 tace comparatively short ; and it is perhaps from this 

 characteristic massiveness of make that the title of 

 hog-deer is derived. The antlers, which in adult stags 

 are considerably longer than the head, are supported on 

 relatively tall pedicles from the skull, and are fairly 

 stout, although less rugose than in the sambar. The 

 brow-tine is short, the beam of great length, and the 

 hinder, or inner tine of the terminal fork somewhat 

 shorter than the outer one. 



The hairs on the back have pale tips, but are not 

 banded with rings of different shades. Full-grown 

 hog-deer in winter dress are generally bright, shining 

 rufous or yellowish brown in colour, somewhat speckled 

 over with a lighter shade owing to the pale tips of the 

 hairs ; a peculiarity being that the hair on the lower 

 surface of the body is considerably darker than that of 

 the back. In the summer coat, on the other hand, the 

 general tint is distinctly lighter, and, during at least the 

 early portion of the season, a variable number of very 

 pale brown or white spots make their appearance. In 



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