JAPANESE DEER 299 



tine, or top, is considerably longer than the 

 hinder one. In summer they are spotted 

 with white, but the winter coat of the adult 

 deer is dark brown, almost black. Lord 

 Powerscourt writes: ''The Japanese are a 

 most satisfactory little deer ; the venison, 

 when dressed, is about the size of Welsh 

 mutton, and very well flavoured. The little 

 stags, with their black coats and thick necks, 

 like miniature sambar, are very picturesque 

 and ornamental, and I think they are a 

 decided addition to our varieties of hardy 

 park deer. Some of them are always to be 

 seen in the Zoological Society's Gardens, 

 but these give no idea of the beauty of the 

 animals when in a wild state. They have 

 also a most peculiar cry in the rutting season 

 — a sort of whistle, varying sometimes into a 

 scream." The Japanese deer has been 



