206 RUMINANTIA. 



It has a rich fawn-colored skin, spotted with white, and hence 

 sometimes receives the specific name maculosa, (.spotted.) Along 

 the back the ground-color changes to nearly black ;. but the un 

 der parts are snow white. A broad dusky spot appears upon the 

 forehead, and a line of the same color extends along the middle 

 of the nose. The Axis is a native of India, and is particularly 

 numerous on the banks of the Ganges. It roams among the 

 thick jungles, near streams of water, and is hunted under the 

 name of the Spotted Hog-Deer. This animal feeds in the night, 

 is timid, mild and inactive, excepting when the females have 

 young, at which time the male is bold and fierce. It has been 

 kept with success in menageries and parks, to which, from its 

 form and color, it is highly ornamental. The larger variety, A. 

 major, (Lat. greater,) a native of Borneo and Ceylon, is about 

 the height of a horse, and has horns which are three-forked, 

 thick and rugged, and nearly three feet long. 



Capreolus Dorcas, (Gr. doyxug, dorkas.a gazelle,) or C. capre- 

 olus, (Lat. Roebuck or Chamois.) The ROEBUCK. 



This species of deer, once common in England, is now con 

 fined chiefly or entirely to the Highlands of Scotland. They are 

 of less size than the fallow deer, being only two feet four inches 

 in height, and three feet six inches in length. The color is reddish 

 brown on the back, the chest and under parts of the body are yel 

 lowish, and the croup white ; the horns are round, divided into three 

 branches, and about nine inches long. (Plate VII. fig. 7.) The 

 Roebuck does not live in herds, but singly and in pairs, amongst the 

 shady thickets and rising slopes. This deer is very cunning, when 

 pursued, sometimes baffling the dogs by making a few enormous 

 leaps, waiting until the dogs have passed and then resuming its 

 former track. It is said to be very fond of the Rulus saxatus, 

 called in the Highlands, the Roebuck-berry. In winter, when 

 the ground is covered with snow, these animals browse on the 

 tender branches of the fir and birch. The flesh is delicate food, 

 and the horns are used for carving-knives. By the old Welsh 

 laws, a Roebuck was valued at the same price as a she-goat. It 

 can be easily subdued, but never perfectly tamed, always retain 

 ing some portion of its natural wild ness. 



C. leucurus. (Gr. levxog, leukos, white ; oi&amp;gt;oa, oura, a tail.) 

 The WHITE-TAILED DEER. 



This resembles the European roebuck. On the Columbia 

 river it is the most common deer; the tip and under part of the 

 tail are of a cream white. 



C. macrotis. (Gr. /uax^og, makros, long; olz, ous, ear.) The 

 MULE DEER. 



