47 



Large or medium-sized, or small deer, with subcylindrical 

 or somewhat flattened antlers, furnished with a true brow- 

 tine above the burr, and at least two other tines ; muzzle 

 with a large bare muffle ; tail medium or short ; coat more 

 or less uniformly coloured or spotted ; main hoofs long and 

 pointed, the hind pair united almost throughout their basal 

 length by a deep interungual membrane; no specialised 

 gland or deep interdigital cleft on front of fore-pasterns 

 nor on hind-pasterns except in the subgenera Hyelaphus and 

 Axis; skull, at least typically, longer and narrower than in 

 Dama, with smaller orbits ; cheek-teeth moderately short- 

 crowned and wide ; crowns of lower incisors varying some- 



FIG. 13. LOWER FRONT TEETH OP RED DEER (Cervus elaphus). 

 From Miller, Cat. Mamm. Western Europe. 



what in size, at least in typical groups (fig. 13) ; upper 

 canines usually present, young generally spotted. Tor other 

 characters, common to the allied genera, see Dama (p. 40). 



Considerable diversity of view obtains with regard to the 

 limits of the genus ; Brooke and Blanford included in it 

 the sikine, rucervine, rusine, and axine groups, together with 

 Dama, while Miller restricts it to the typical elaphine group. 

 Pocock, on the other hand, includes the sikine and rucervine, 

 but excludes the rusine and axine groups, as well as Dama. 

 In the present volume all these groups, except Dama, are 

 included. The genus, in this sense, has a range in the Old 

 World nearly co-extensive with that of the family ; but in 

 the New World does not desceod south of Mexico. 



