188 
MAMMALIA. 
The Rein-Deer is confined to the glacial countries of both conti- 
nents, and is the animal so highly celebrated for the services it 
renders to the Laplanders, who have numerous herds of them 
which in the summer they lead to the mountains, and in winter 
bring back to the plains. They are their only beasts of burden 
and draught; their flesh and milk serve them for food, their 
skins for clothing, &c. 
C. dama, L., Buff. VI, xxvii and xxviii. (The Fallow-Deer.) 
Less than the Stag; in winter of a blackish brown, in summer 
fawn coloured, spotted with white ; the buttocks always white, 
bordered on each side with a black stripe; tail longer than the 
Stag’s, black above, white underneath. The horn of the male 
is round at base, with a pointed antler, and throughout the rest 
of its length flattened, with the outer edge denticulated. After 
a certain age it shrinks, and splits irregularly into several slips. 
This species, which is the Platiceros of the ancients, has become 
very common in all Europe, although it seems to be originally 
from Barbary.(1) A black variety without spots is sometimes 
to be found. Those species which have round antlers are more 
numerous ; such as inhabit temperate climates also change their 
colour, more or less, during the winter. 
C. elaphus, L..; Buff. VI, ix, x, xii. (The Common Stag.) 
A fawn coloured brown in summer, with a blackish line along 
the spine, and on each side a range of small light yellow spots ; 
in winter of a uniform greyish brown; the crupper and tail 
always of a pale yellow. It is a native of the forests of all Eu- 
rope, and of the temperate parts of Asia. The antlers of the 
male are round, and appear in the second year, at first simple, 
and then with tines or branches on their inner face, which in- 
crease in number as they advance in age, forming a kind of 
palm with many small points. When very old the Stag be- 
comes blackish, and the hairs on the neck lengthen and stand 
erect. The horns are shed in the spring, the old ones losing 
them firsts; they are reproduced in the summer, during the 
whole of which period they live separately. When they are 
grown again, the rutting season commences, at which period _ 
the males become furious. Both sexes unite in large herds to 
pass the winter. The hind carries eight months, and brings 
forth in May. The fawn is spotted with white. 
C. canadensis, Gm.; C. strongyloceros, Schreb. 246, A, 247, 
F,G; Wapiti, &e. (The Elk.) A fourth larger than the Elk 
(1) Since the publication of the second ed. of my Oss. Foss., we reves received 
a wild C, dama, killed in the woods to the south of Tunis. 
