SIKA DEER (Cervus sica) 



THERE are several varieties and races of sika deer ; one, which 

 may be the Chinese form, is very small, cobbly built, with short legs, 

 perfectly white rump, and very fully spotted coat, the stags having 

 what my deer-keeper calls " monkey- faces," while the growing horns 

 have a reddish skin instead of true velvet. 



There is another very similar variety which is darker in colour 

 and without spots, with blackish velvet ; and a third kind coming 

 from Manchuria, which is much bigger, being as large as a fallow 

 deer, with dark reddish skin on the horns when they are " in 

 velvet." The latter species is very savage, so that great care must 

 be taken when they are in parks ; I have had to shoot severs! 

 of mine for attacking people and horses, or for killing sheep. 



A cross with the Manchurian very much improves the size and 

 head of the ordinary sika. None of these deer have more than 

 eight points, or very rarely. By killing off all the pure-bred Chinese 

 sikas and leaving only the cross-bred Manchurians I am gradually 

 evolving a big breed in my own park. 



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