OF THE CLASS MAMMALIA. 



295 



and is thus esteemed to be of easier digestion. It is a fearless 

 animal, dreading neither heat nor cold, storms nor rain. 



Deer are ruminants, characterized distinctly by the shed- 

 ding of their antlers. The species abound, such as the 



Fig. 267. African Antelope. 



Fig. 268. Eland of the Cape ; the largest of the South 

 African Antelopes. 



common or fallow-deer, the red-deer, the roebuck, the rein- 

 deer, &c. They all inhabit the forests, and are remarkable for 

 their speed and for the elegance of their forms. The antlers, 

 generally peculiar to the male, are cast in spring. 



The antelopes resemble deer in many respects, but are 



