1870.] MR. R. SWINHOE ON A NEW DEER FROM CHINA. 91 
the upper body is flattened, and undulates from side to side, or is 
zigzag in its length, giving it in some veiws quite a spiral appearance. 
I notice the same peculiarity in the corresponding hair of the Mos- 
chus. ach of these hairs in our animal is white from its base for 
the greater part of its length, then blackish brown, ending with a light 
chestnut tip; thus, the hairs overlapping each other, the chestnut 
tips give the general ground-colour, and the blackish rings the 
stippling. 
Fore leg. Length of hoof in front 1°25, breadth of each segment 
*75; length of hind toe *75, its breadth °45, raised about ‘75 above 
the sole of the foot. 
Hind leg. Length of hoof 1:18, breadth of each segment °63; 
length of hind toe *60, its breadth °45, raised above sole of foot 1°30. 
The above description is taken from a buck bought in the market 
at Shanghai on the 30th November 1868, and consequently in its 
winter coat. 
In coloration and outward appearance the little Pudu comes much 
nearer to our species than does the bristly-looking brown Moschus. 
It is also chestnut-coloured, stippled with black and red on the head 
and ears; but its rump and tail are red (which are not so in our 
animal), and the male carries horns. Dr. Giinther has kindly 
assisted me in working out the affinities of this animal. 
In the large riverine islands of the Yangtsze above Chinkiang these 
animals occur in large numbers, living among the tall rushes that are 
there grown for thatching and other purposes. The rushes are cut 
down in the spring ; and the Deer then swim away to the main shore 
and retire to the cover of the hills. In autumn, after the floods, 
when the rushes are again grown, they return with their young and 
stay the winter through. ‘They are said to feed on the rush-sprouts 
and coarse grasses, and they doubtless often finish off with a dessert 
from the sweet-potatoes, cabbages, &c. which the villagers cultivate on 
the islands during winter. They cannot, however, do much damage 
to the latter, or they would not be suffered to exist in such numbers 
as they do; for the islands have their villages and a pretty numerous 
agricultural population. Fortunately for the Deer, the Chinese have 
an extraordinary dislike for their flesh. I-could not ascertain why ; 
but it must be from some strange superstition, as the Celestials are 
otherwise pretty nearly omnivorous. The Deer are killed only for 
the European markets, and sold at a low price. Their venison is 
coarse and without much taste, but is considered tolerable for want 
of better; it is the only venison procurable in Shanghai. The 
animal itself gives sport to the gunner ; and numbers are slaughtered 
every winter by the European followers of Nimrod, in the name of 
sport. Their numbers, however, do not appear to get much thinned ; 
they are reported to be very prolific breeders. A friend of mine 
assured me that he witnessed the gutting of a female that was shot 
by one of his party on a late excursion, and that she was found to 
contain stv embryo young. This single fact, however, is not suffi- _ 
cient to establish the ordinary gestation of this species ; on the con- 
trary, it was probably an extraordinary case; but it was the only 
