DEER. 363 



a small head, large ears, and a relatively long tail. The general colour of the fur 

 is some shade of fawn or yellowish brown, darker on the head and neck, and 

 marked on the body with a number of large white spots. The under-parts, inner 

 sides of the limbs, and the under surface of the tail are white ; and there is a dark 

 line running down the back from the nape of the neck to the end of the tail. 

 There is, however, a dark brown variety in which the spots are scarcely distinguish- 

 able, or wanting, and specimens may be seen exhibiting every gradation in colour 

 from pure white nearly to black. The hair is comparatively short and fine, and 

 there is no mane on the neck and throat. The upper jaw has no tusks. Good 

 antlers vary in length from 19 to 27 inches, 28| being the maximum length on 

 record. 



«,_,_,..., The fallow deer is a native of Northern Africa and the countries 



Distribution. 



bordering the Mediterranean, and in a wild state is still abundant in 



Sardinia, Spain, and some of the islands of the Grecian Archipelago. From these 



countries it has been introduced into Central Europe, where it nourishes well, 



although needing some protection during the winter in the more northerly regions. 



At what period this introduction took place is, however, quite uncertain, although 



in Britain it was evidently many centuries ago. From the occurrence of antlers of 



the general type of those of the fallow deer in some of the superficial deposits, it 



has been supposed that this species was really an indigenous British animal. These 



fossil antlers belong, however, to an extinct although nearly-allied species, known 



as C. broivni, and there is no evidence of the occurrence of fossil remains of the 



true fallow deer in this country. 



Bell observes that " fallow deer are gregarious to a great extent, associating 

 in large herds, the bucks apart from the does, except in the pairing-season and 

 early winter, when the sexes consort in company. Most persons must be familiar 

 with their boldness and the confident manner in which they will approach man- 

 kind, where they are well accustomed to his presence. . . . Like the other species, 

 the fallow deer feeds on herbage. It has been noted that it is especially fond 

 of horse-chestnuts, which the bucks knock down from the branches with their 

 antlers, and this tree is consequently frequently planted in deer-parks. The pairing- 

 season begins in September, and the doe goes eight months with 3-oung." As a 

 general rule but a single fawn is produced at a birth, although there may 

 occasionally be two. The alleged instances of triplets appear to be incorrect. 

 The young male exhibits the first signs of his antlers in his second year, when tiny 

 make their appearance as simple snags ; the animal being then called a pricket. In the 

 fifth year the antlers attain their full development, although sonic additional small 

 points may be added in the following season. 



It has been stated that the dark variety of the fallow deer was introduced from 

 Norway by James the First, on account of its hardy constitution. This, however, 

 has been proved to be incorrect by Mr. Halting, who has shown that this breed 

 existed in Windsor Park as far back as the year 1465. The fallow deer of Windsor 

 Park include both the spotted and the brown breeds ; but in Epping Forest only 

 the latter occur. 



Writing of the fallow deer of Epping, Mr. Harting states that they " have held 

 their own, in spite of all difficulties, until the present time, and have strangely 



