THE FALLOW-DEER GROUP > 951 



their boldness and the confident manner in which they will approach mankind, 

 where they are well accustomed to his presence. . . . Like the other species, 

 the fallow deer feeds on herbage. It has been noted that it is especially fond of horse- 

 chestnuts, which the bucks knock down from the branches with their antlers, and 

 this tree is consequently frequently planted in deer parks. The pairing season begins 

 in September, and the doe goes eight months with young. " As a general rule but 

 a single fawn is produced at a birth, although there may occasionally be two. The 

 alleged instances of triplets appear to be incorrect. The young male exhibits the 

 first signs of his antlers in his second year, when they make their appearance as 

 simple snags, the animal being then called a pricket. In the fifth year the antlers 

 attain their full development, al thought some additional small points may be added 

 in the following season. 



It has been stated that the dark variety of the fallow deer was introduced from 

 Norway by James the First, on account of its hardy constitution. This, however, 

 has been proved to be incorrect by Mr. Harting, who has shown that this breed ex- 

 isted in Windsor Park as far back as the year 1465. The fallow deer of Windsor 

 Park include both the spotted and the brown breeds, but in Epping forest only the 

 latter occur. 



Writing of the fallow deer of Epping, Mr. Harting states that they "have held 

 their own, in spite of all difficulties, until the present time, and have strangly pre- 

 served their ancient characteristic in regard to size and color. Locally they are referred 

 to as 'the old forest breed,' and are comparatively small in size, of a uniformly dark 

 brown color, and with very attenuated antlers peculiarities which have no doubt 

 been brought about by continued isolation, without the admixture of any fresh 

 stock for many generations. It is remarkable that no individuals of the true fallow 

 color (i. e., yellow dun) or spotted with white are ever seen in this forest. This in 

 some measure proves the antiquity of the stock, which would otherwise show in 

 their progeny a reversion to one or other of these varieties, which elsewhere are so 

 common. The keepers assert that not only are there no spotted or fallow varieties 

 here, but that they have never observed any spotted fawns, the latter being dark 

 like their parents. If this observation be correct, it is very remarkable, for it is 

 generally supposed that the fawns of all fallow deer are spotted at birth, and that 

 except in the permanently spotted variety, the spots disappear with age. The at- 

 tenuation of the antlers is also very noticeable, the palmation being reduced from a 

 hand's breadth to about the width of two fingers. There can be no doubt that, from 

 long isolation and continued breeding in and in, the herd has considerably degener- 

 ated. ... At present [1884] the number of fallow deer in Epping forest is 

 estimated to be about eighty or one hundred head. They do net associate in one 

 herd, but roam about in small parties, keeping to the thickest underwood and most 

 unfrequented parts of the forest." The venison of the fallow deer is generally con- 

 sidered superior to that of the red deer. 



_, . _ The Persian fallow deer (C. mesopotamicus}, from the mountains of 



Persian Fallow 



Deer Luristan, in Mesopotamian Persia, differs from the ordinary kind in 



that the trez-tine of the antlers is placed nearer to the small brow-tine, 

 and that the main palmation of the beam takes place below instead of above the 



