46 MAMMALIA 



nearly always being in front of its proper position, and sometimes as low 

 as just above the brow. The horn of the misplaced pedicle is sometimes a 

 switch, and grows either up or down over the face. Sometimes the pedicle 

 is bent outwards, I have never seen it bent in or back. Sometimes mal- 

 forms have three distinct pedicles and horns, and four have been found; 

 unicorns are also not uncommon. In nearly all these cases there is no 

 apparent sign of injury, nor would it be possible to misplace the pedicle 

 without killing the animal. The country where malforms appear most in 

 Otago, is open tussock and open birch (Nothofagus) bush. Malforms, 

 except an odd one or two that have probably migrated from more over- 

 stocked country, are not to be found in the rugged gorges of the Hunter 

 or the Makarora. They did not appear in the rough and dense bush country 

 in the Wairarapa until a few years ago, when the bush was more cleared, 

 and sheep competed more strongly with the deer for food. We do not 

 know whether the defects of the skull are hereditary or not, but from the 

 fact that there are so many to be found in different types, one would think 

 they are. Another question is whether the calf is born with the defect, or 

 at what time it begins to manifest itself. Want of nourishment either in 

 quantity or quality of food rapidly leads to degeneration in stags' heads, 

 and in deer generally, but why it should affect the bone of the head in the 

 way it does is remarkable. 



It is clear that there are several distinct strains of red deer in the 

 country, recognised chiefly by the form and growth of the antlers, 

 which are chiefly what sportsmen look to. This mixing of breeds 

 probably tends to the production of a strong race, and the efforts 

 of the main societies are directed, often, it must be admitted, rather 

 blindly, to the elimination of defective deer. In the 1918-19 season 

 the Otago Society had 1000 head shot in the Hunter Valley Makarora 

 herd and 667 head in 1919-20. The problem is an interesting one 

 from the eugenic standpoint. 



The vast number of red deer found in New Zealand enables the 

 various leading societies to offer shooting privileges to sportsmen, who 

 come from all parts to enjoy this form of sport. The attraction of 

 red deer shooting is now to be reckoned as one of the assets of the 

 country from a tourist's point of view. 



Effect of deer on the native vegetation. In the North Island 

 it is stated that Fuchsia is the principal food of the deer in spring and 

 summer, but that in winter they take to Koromiko (Veronica salici- 

 folia) and other shrubs. Probably they eat the majority of the native 

 shrubs in the bush, but how far they destroy the vegetation of the 

 higher country is not recorded. They are reported as not caring very 

 much for grass. In the North Otago forest the following are mainly 

 eaten: broadleaf (Griselinia), native gum (species of Panax), ribbon- 

 wood (Gay a Lyallii), various species of Coprosma, pepper tree (Drimys 

 color ata), milk tree (Paratrophis heterophylla) and Tutu (Coriaria). 



