tt*a THE AXIS. 



flag and fallow deer is generally of a uniform 

 colour, and they are very numerous in cold and 

 temperate regions, as well as in warm climates. 

 The gentlemen of the academy of Sciences 

 have given a figure and a dcfcription of the in- 

 ternal parts of this animal*; but they have laid 

 little concerning its external form, and nothing 

 relative to its hiftory. They have limply called 

 it the Sardinian hind, probably becaufe it was 

 brought to the royal menagery under that name. 

 But we have no evidence of this animal's being 

 a native of Sardinia. It is mentioned by no au- 

 thor as exifting wild in this ifland: On the con- 

 trary, we fee, from. the pafTages already quoted, 

 that it is found in the warmed countries of Aha. 

 Hence the denomination of Sardinian hind has 

 been falfely applied : That of Ganges Jtag would 

 have been more proper, if it had belonged to the 



flag 



* fperfed with white fpots/ Voyage de la Compagnie des hides de 

 Hollande, tom.\. p. 423. — ' At Bengal, we find (lags which 

 ' are fpotted like tigers;' Voyage de Lulllier, p. 54. 



* The height of thefe hinds, from the top of the back to 

 the tail, was two feet eight inches. The neck was a foot long, 

 and the hind legs three feet. Their hair was of four colours, 

 namely, yellow, white, black, and gray. It was white on the 

 belly and on the inlide of the thighs and legs. The back was 

 a yeilowifh brown, and the flanks were of a dun yellow, or 

 ifabella colour. Thefe ground colours were variegated with 

 white fpots, of different figures. Along the back were two 

 rows of fpots in a ftraight line ; the other fpots were fcatter- 

 ed without any order. On each fide of the flanks there was 

 a white line. The neck and head were gray ; the tail was all 

 white below, black above, and the hair of it was fix inches 

 long ; Mem. peurfenir a Pbift. des animaux, part. 2. p. 73. 



