1875.] DEER FROM MESOPOTAMIA. 263 
general conformation of the skull and the markings of the skin sent 
by Mr. Robertson so closely resembled those of the common Fallow 
Deer, that I was inclined to believe the Mesopotamian specimens to 
be referable to this species, the peculiarities in the horns, which 
were in velvet, and about half-grown (fig. 1), being attributable to 
abnormality. A closer examination, however, revealed characters 
which showed me that this first impression was incorrect, and con- 
vinced me that, though more closely allied to Dama vulgaris than to 
any other existing Deer, the specimens appertained to a new and 
very interesting species. Wishing, if possible, to avoid founding the 
species upon the examination of a single specimen, I considered it 
better to await the results of Mr. Robertson’s indefatigable exer- 
tions to obtain more materials before introducing the species to the 
Society’s notice. 
A short time subsequently I received a letter from Mr. Robertson, 
in which he thus writes :—‘“I received your last letter when on the 
point of setting out for a few days’ shooting on the Karoon, where 
I hoped to get a good head of the Spotted Deer, but have not suc- 
ceeded. I only saw one specimen, a doe. At some distance I ex- 
amined her through a field-glass, and observed that her colour was 
considerably darker and duller than that of the buck (shot in March), 
whose skin I sent to Mr. Sclater (Plate XXXVIII.). Her spots, how- 
ever, were as marked as usual; and I am pretty sure that I have seen 
Spotted Deer on the Karoon at all seasons of the year. The other 
Fig. 2. 
Antler of Cervus (Dama) mesopotamicus, picked up near the Karoon. 
Deer which I mentioned as inhabiting the same jungles is rather 
smaller and always brown. I send you two cast horns, which I have 
marked 1 and 2 (see fig. 2, p. 263, and fig. 3, p. 264). The former 
was picked up near the Karoon, and is that, I think, of a brown Deer ; 
the latter I got from a friend, who could only tell me that it came 
from Shuster. It is, I believe, a fully developed horn of a Spotted 
