18S4.] ACCLIMATIZATION OF DEER AT POWERSCOURT. 



209 



... ._ . , 



The Japanese Deer {Cervus sika). 



I have distributed Japanese Deer from my herd to the following 

 places up to this time, and I believe they are thriving in every 

 locality where they have been introduced ; so that they may be 

 looked upon quite as a British Park- Deer :— at Killarney, in the 

 woodsof Muckross; at Glenstal (Sir Croker Barrington's), near 

 Limerick; at Castlewellan (Lord Annesley's) in county Down ; at 

 Colebrooke (Sir Victor Brooke's), county Fermanagh ; at Lord 

 Ilchester's, Melbury, Dorsetshire ; and at Baron Ferdinand de Roths- 

 child's, Waddesdou Manor, Aylesbury. 



The Japanese Deer here have undoubtedly interbred with the 

 Red Deer ; there are three or four Deer in the Park here which are 

 certainly hybrids, the Red hind in each case being the dam. 



The Japanese are a most satisfactory httle Deer ; the venison when 

 dressed is about the size of Welsh mutton and very well flavoured. 

 The little Stags, with their black coats and thick necks like mini- 

 ature Sambur, are very picturesque and ornamental, and I think 

 they are a decided addition to our varieties of hardy Park Deer. 

 Some of them are always to be seen in the Society's Gardens ; but 

 these give no idea of the beauty of the animals when in a wild 'state 

 in a park. 



They- also have a most peculiar cry in the rutting-season, a sort 

 of whistle, varying sometimes into a scream. 



Any body wishing for venison of a small size and good quality 

 will, I think, find these Deer very desirable for that purpose. 



