284 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



The challenging wapiti usually does most of the offensive fighting until he finds (if such be 

 the case) that he is the weaker ; then he suddenly retires, bellowing as he goes." In the old 

 days the Indians of North America were in the habit of organising great wapiti drives. Entire 

 herds were surrounded by a ring of mounted men, and forced over precipices. 



In recent years it has been discovered that wapiti are also denizens of certain parts of 

 Asia. At least two sub-species the ALTAI WAPITI and the MANCHURIAN WAPITI have thus 



far been identified. The former, some- 

 times known as the Thian-shan Stag, 

 is found in the forests of the Altai and 

 Thian-shan Mountains, west of the Mon- 

 golian Desert. Compared with its Amer- 

 ican congener, it is inferior in stature, 

 has shorter legs, a longer body, and pro- 

 portionately larger antlers, though none 

 have yet approached those of the longest 

 American specimens. These splendid 

 stags, of which living specimenshave been 

 maintained by the Duke of Bedford at 

 Woburn, are captured alive by the Altai 

 natives, and kept in domestication for 

 the sake of their antlers, which are sold 

 in China for purposes of medicine at as 

 much as the value of $50 apiece. 



The MANCHURIAN WAPITI, or LUEH- 

 DORF'S STAG, is a well-marked local race 

 of the wapiti, which turns reddish in 



Bjf firmistien / Profuier Bumpus] [Ntw Tort 



A SPOTTED ORIENTAL DEER 



One of the numerous Philip fine sfecics 



summer. It has received several names, 

 and is well characterised by the form 

 of its antlers. It has been kept alive in 

 the Duke of Bedford's park at Woburn 



Abbey. It seems probable that the Siberian stags will eventually be referred to the wapiti 



group. 



BOKHARA DEER 



A fine deer from Russian Turkestan is at present known as the BOKHARA DEER. It is 

 said to resemble the shou of Northern Bhutan more than any other species, and, standing 

 about 4 feet at the shoulder, is of an ashen-grey colour, tinged with yellow. A living specimen 

 has bjen exhibited at Moscow, and it is believed that specimens in the collection of the 

 Duke of Bedford belong to this form. 



SlKAS 



The SIKAS, as typified by the JAPANESE DEER, are a group of deer of moderate size, 

 distinguished from the preceding assemblage by antlers of simpler type, each antler having 

 usually four points, and lacking the second, or bez, tine. The coat is spotted with white, 

 and white markings appear about the tail. The tail is much longer than in the red deer 

 group. The Japanese deer, found in Japan and North China, is a beautiful creature, somewhat 

 smaller than the fallow deer of Europe, having a coat of brilliant chestnut, thickly spotted with 

 white in curious longitudinal markings. This is the summer pelage; in winter the colour 

 changes to dark brown, and the spots mostly disappear. When in the velvet, the antlers are 

 of a bright chestnut-red, with black tips, and at this season the bucks look their handsomest. 

 A good head measures from 25 to 31 inches, and carries usually eight points. 



The MANCHURIAN SIKA may be looked upon as a larger variety of the Japanese deer, with 

 a somewhat darker coat. 



