52 POPULAR OFFICIAL GUIDE. 



males are sometimes dangerous. This species is very hardy, 

 breeds persistently, requires no heat in winter, and very 

 rarely sends a case to the hospital. 



The Fallow Deer, (Dama vulgaris], is the type of a dis- 

 tinct group of deer which are distinguished by the posses- 

 sion of antlers widely palmated throughout the upper half 

 of the beam. In some old Fallow bucks the antlers are 

 quite moose-like, and give this small deer an imposing ap- 

 pearance far out of proportion to its actual size. The 

 weight of a large buck in prime condition generally is be- 

 tween 180 and 200 pounds, and its shoulder height is 

 between 36 and 40 inches. The largest antlers recorded 

 by Mr. J. G. Millais, in his beautiful work on "The British 

 Deer," measured 29% inches in length, 28 1 /2 inches spread, 

 width of palmation 8 inches, and the number of points 14. 

 The extinct Irish elk, with the most colossal antlers ever 

 carried by a cervine animal, was a near relative of the 

 two living species of Fallow Deer. 



Although a native of northern Africa and the north shore 

 of the Mediterranean, the Fallow Deer was acclimatized in 

 England and northern Europe so long ago that the exact 

 date records of the event have disappeared, and the species 

 is now at home in very many European forests and game 

 preserves. The deer parks in England possess many fine 

 herds, but they sometimes exhibit one unfortunate result of 

 long breeding in a semi-domesticated state departure from 

 the original type. 



The typical Fallow Deer is in winter very dark brown, 

 with light brown legs and under parts, and in summer light 

 red with white spots quite like the axis. From this stand- 

 ard, the variations run from pure white through the color 

 of the wild type to jet black. 



The fine herd in the Zoological Park is the gift of Mr. 

 William Rockefeller. Six of its original members came 

 from the donor's herd at Greenwich, Connecticut, and six 

 were purchased from one of the imperial parks of Russia, 

 by consent of the Czar, and represent the most hardy stock 

 obtainable. 



The Burmese, or Eld's Deer, (Cervus eldi), also known as 

 the Brow-Antler Deer, is one of the rarest species to be seen 

 in captivity. Living specimens are acquired only through 

 special expeditions to northern Burma. Its most char- 

 acteristic feature is the antlers of the male, which sends 

 forward a very long and almost straight brow tine, while 

 the main beam sweeps backward in the opposite direction, 



