STAGS. 



39* 



skin ; they are never shed, and exist in both sexes. This animal is destined 

 to browse upon the foliage and young shoots of trees at a height far greater 

 than any other animal can reach. When standing on the ground in its wild 

 state, it measures, when full grown, seventeen feet from the top of its head to 

 the soles of its fore feet. At first view, its fore legs appear twice as long as 

 the hinder; but this results chiefly from the extraordinary height of the shoul- 

 ders. It is of a gentle disposition, and lives on the leaves of the acacia-trees 

 in the south of Africa, which it gathers by means of its prehensile tongue. 



RUMINANTS WITH DECIDUOUS HORNS. 



The Stags (Cervus). This genus includes all Ruminants whose males 

 have deciduous horns on the head ; but these horns are (with the single ex- 

 ception of the reindeer) always wanting in the female. All these animals are 



extremely fleet in running ; their limbs are long and slender, the body light, 

 the coat clean and shining ; in general, they are remarkable for the beauty and 

 elegance of their forms. Ordinarily they shed their horns in spring. 



THE RUMINANTS WITH HOLLOW HORNS 



are extremely numerous, and it has been found necessary to divide 

 them into genera from characters of slight importance. T.o this 

 section belong 



