294 MR. P. L. SCLA.TER ON CERVUS SIKA. [Mar. 18, 



March 18, 18/9. 

 Prof. St. George Mivart, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



The Secretary called attention to some Japanese Deer (Cervus 

 sika) lately presented to the Society by Viscount Powerscourt. 



These Deer were from the herd of Japanese Deer belonging to 

 Lord Powerscourt, at Powerscourt, in Wicklow, Ireland, which had 

 been originally commenced in 1859 with three hinds and a stag of 

 Cervus sika, purchased of a London dealer. These animals had 

 thriven well and multiplied exceedingly ; and the herd now consisted 

 of at least eighty individuals. Lord Powerscourt had at various times 

 supplied stock from it to the following Deer-parks : — 



1. That of Earl Annesley, Castle Wellan, co. Down. 



2. That of Sir Victor Brooke, Colebrooke, Fermanagh. 



3. That of Sir Croker Barrington, Bt., Glenstal, Limerick. 



4. That of the Earl of Ilchester, Melbury, Dorset. 



5. That of Lord William Osborne, Tally-allan, Scotland. 



The following extracts from a letter recently addressed to the Secre- 

 tary by Viscount Powerscourt on this subject were read : — 



"There are certainly more than eighty Japanese Deer in the parks 

 here now. It is very difficult to count them accurately, as there is so 

 much wood ; but I saw sixty-five in one lot together one day last 

 autumn. I know that that was not the whole lot, because there were 

 little lots scattered about besides. There are certainly eighty, if 

 not more. Japanese Deer require no care of any kind j they are as 

 hardy as Fallow or Red Deer ; and the venison is as good : we had a 

 haunch last year with more than two inches of fat on it. The haunches 

 are small and of a handy size, about the size of mutton. Japanese 

 Deer rut at the same time as the Fallow Deer. They are certainly 

 not less hardy than Fallow Deer, I think more so. They have a 

 very thick coat in winter ; and I often see them up on the high 

 ground when the Fallow Deer are in the shelter. The bucks are quite 

 black in winter, and only show their spots very little ; the old ones 

 do not show them at all. Like all Deer, the young ones are spotted, 

 and the spots get fainter as the animal gets older ; the old does as 

 •well as the old bucks almost lose them ; the old bucks lose them 

 altogether. They make two noises when rutting — one a sort of 

 scream, the other a prolonged whistle, just like a man calling 

 another at a distance ; till I knew what it was, I was several times 

 almost sure it was some one looking for me when I was shooting in 

 the park. Their beauty is unquestionable ; and when they are 

 startled, and spread out the white long hairs on their haunches like 

 a target as they jump away, they are very graceful." 



The following papers were read : — 



