188J.] ON ACCLIMATIZATION OF DEER AT POWERSCOURT. 207 



Prof. E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S., exhibited and made remarks on 

 a living example of a Scorpion from Ceylon (Buihus cceruleus), 



A communication was read from Prof, T. Jeffrey Parker, being 

 the first of a series of studies in New-Zealand Iclithyology. The 

 present paper gave a description of the skeleton of Regafecus 

 argenteus. The species was founded on a specimen cast ashore at 

 Moeraki, Otago, in June 1883. 



This paper will be printed entire in the Society's ' Transactions.' 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On the Accliinatizatlon of the Japanese Deer at Powers- 

 court. By Viscount Powehscourt, P.Z.S.* 



[Received February 28, 1884.] 



In the years 1858 and 18.59 I took up the idea of experimenting 

 upon the acclimatization of various animals which I thought might be 

 ornamental as well as useful in Deer-parks in the United Kingdom, 

 as suggested by the collection formed at Knowsley by Lord Derby. 



I purchased, mostly from Jamrach, the well-known animal-dealer, 

 various kinds of Deer and Antelopes. 



I had at one time alive together in a park formed for the purpose 

 at Powerscourt, in a part of the place called the Racecourse, con- 

 taining about 100 acres, of which about two thirds was open pasture 

 and one third wood, Red Deer, white as well as common, Sambur 

 Deer, Nylghaies, Axis Deer, Llamas, Elands, Wapiti Deer, and 

 Moufflons or Wild Sheep. 



The Red Deer of course increased, and the Wapiti Deer also bred ; 

 but the Nylghaies, which were running about quite healthy one 

 evening, were both found dead the next day. 



The Sambur Deer lived for two or three years, but never throve 

 well, neither did the x\xis Deer. The Elands were also too delicate 

 for the climate of Ireland, and I very soon found it necessary to 

 dispose of them, as they would not have lived. I had only a pair 

 of them, and they were sold to the Antwerp Zoological Gardens. 



There were originally three Wapiti Deer, unfortunately only one 

 of them a female, and they were of the same breed which Lord 

 Derby had had at Knowsley. I tried to get another female, but at 

 that time it seemed to be almost impossible ; the female which I 

 had, met with an accident and broke her leg, but nevertheless she 

 produced a stag calf a few months afterwards. She had had a 

 female calf the year before, so that my herd was increased to five 

 animals. But the only males were the sire of the female calf and 

 another young male, which died. I then, finding the small park 

 where they were too confined in space, had all the Deer caught and 

 removed to the large Deer-park, containing about 1000 acres. 



^ See, for previous notes on this subject, P. Z. S. 1879, p. 291. 



