378 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
median line of the face being directed backwards without inter- 
ruption. 
From the facts adduced it is, I think, proven that our new 
Deer must be regarded as a species of the subgenus Cariacus, 
with simple horns. We may, therefore, consistently omit all 
further comparisons with the various species of Coassus. ‘There 
is, however, one species with which our new Deer might be 
thought to have close relationship, or to be identical. This is the 
Cervus capricornis of M. de Saussure, described in the ‘ Revue et 
Magasin de Zoologie.’ * 
The substance of M. de Saussure’s account of this Mexican 
Deer is briefly as follows :—While hunting he saw, but did not 
obtain, a Deer of about the size of C. mexicanus, armed with 
large, curved spikes. He at first considered this to be a young 
Mexican Deer, but was afterwards informed by the native hunters 
that it was well known to them under the name of Venado 
cuernicabra. They also stated that it was rare, and that it never 
had branched antlers. Before leaving the country he obtained a 
single right antler, with a portion of the skull attached, which he 
believed to belong to this species. 
His description of this antler is as follows:—“‘I] mesure 
0°200m., selon la corde de sa courbure; il est trés-divergent, 
trés-arqué, et n’a qu'une seule courbure qui regarde en haut et 
en dedans; sa base est trés-noueuse, sa couronne médiocre, et la 
seconde moitié de la corne est comprimée, assez épaisse. De 
plus, ce bois n'est pas gréle, comme les dagues des jeunes; il a 
plutot le caractére de la vieillesse.” 
That this antler did not belong to an individual of our C. 
clavatus is, I believe, quite certain. The terms “ trés-divergent”’ 
and “ trés-arqué ” do not apply to the antlers of our species, but 
to the dag-antlers of C. virginianus and other species of Cariacus 
with branched horns. Furthermore, the length of the antler in 
a straight line is greater than that of the antlers of our oldest 
C. clavatus. It is a matter of interest in this connection, that 
among the antlers in the collection of the National Museum is 
one from Orizova, which corresponds almost exactly to M. de 
Saussure’s description, and furthermore has upon it the original 
label of the collector, bearing the words ‘‘ Venado cuernicabra.” 


* 2nd ser. x1i, 1860, p. 252. 
