CHAPTER XVII. 



THE DEER TRIBE. 



BY H. A. BRYDEN. 



DEER represent as a family the non-domesticated class of ruminants. Generally speaking, 

 the males are distinguished by antlers, which are shed periodically, usually once a year, 

 and again renewed. Comprising as it does some of the noblest mammals to be found 

 on the face of the earth, this large and important tribe is to be found distributed over a large 

 portion of the world's surface, from the Arctic North, the home of the wild reindeer, to 

 Patagonia, in Southern South America. Deer are, however, not found in the continent of 

 Africa south of the Sahara, nor in Madagascar or Australia. They are not indigenous to New 

 Zealand ; but the red deer, introduced there some years ago for purposes of sport, have thriven 

 wonderfully well, and are now completely acclimatised. 



From the earliest times deer, especially those species known as the true or typical deer, 

 of which red deer may be said to be a type, have been animals of considerable importance 

 to mankind. Their flesh has been always eagerly sought after ; deer-skin is still, even in 

 these days of high civilisation, 

 useful for many purposes; and 

 the antlers are almost equally 

 in request. 



It is more than probable 

 that, in the vast and still little- 

 explored regions of Central, 

 East, and Northern Asia, new 

 species of deer remain to be 

 discovered. At the present time 

 there are known to exist, in 

 various parts of the world, close 

 on a hundred species and varieties. 

 Within the space allotted to 

 these animals it is, of course, 

 manifestly impossible to notice 

 all these in anything like detail. 

 Many of the varieties or sub- 

 species closely resemble one 

 another, so much so that the 

 differences between them are only 

 apparent to the eyes of naturalists 

 or acute observers. 



THE EEINDEER. 

 REINDEER are distinguished 

 from all other kinds of deer by 



, _ , . ,, , Photo by Valentine < Sons, Ltd.] [Dundee. 



the fact that antlers are borne SCANDINAVIAN REINDEER. 



by both males and temaleS. J.ne The spreading hoofs enable the reindeer to traverse snow and swamps without sinking 



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