ORDER RUM1NANTIA. 105 



a brow antler, but no median or bezantler, the beam ter- 

 minating in a single perch, with a snag of more or less 

 length, placed midway, or high up, on the anterior or pos- 

 terior side of it. The group is further distinguished, by 

 having in common with the true Stags, a broad muzzle, 

 canines in the males, large suborbital openings, a rugged 

 mane, lengthened tail, and uniform dark colours of the 

 hair ; their stature, in nearly the whole is large, and like 

 the Stag they reside in woody places, and have a predilec- 

 tion for water. These characters common to several spe- 

 cies, appear sufficient to separate them from the Spotted 

 Axis of Belon, Pennant, and others, and to designate it by 

 adopting the Malayan generic name of Rusa, for this group 

 or sub-genus. 



The Great Rusa. (Cervus Hippelaphus.) The distinc- 

 tive denomination of Hippelaphus is applied by the 

 Baron, to a large stag attaining it is said the size 

 of a horse, with trifurcated horns, very coarse hair, 

 rather a long tail, furnished with long coarse bristly hairs 

 on the throat and neck, and with the suborbital sinus large, 

 opening and shutting at the will of the animal. All these 

 characters apply in a nearly equal degree to several, con- 

 stituting different species, or very distinct varieties ; and 

 among them the great Zoologist quotes that described 

 by Aristotle under the name of Hippelaphus or Horse 

 Stag, " Having a mane on the withers, but the rest of 

 the neck to the head with but little hair ; it has a beard 

 on the forepart of the throat, cloven feet, and the head 

 armed with horns, but the female is without them ; it is of 

 the same size as the Stag, and is found in Arachosia : the 

 horns resemble the Roebuck's." This quotation is appli- 

 cable to this group in many particulars, but as it appears 

 to us, not entirely to any one*. 



The specimens from which our descriptions are taken, 



* Perhaps Cervus Pygargus. 

 Vox. IV. I 



