260 BtrsiN^. 



killed in winter in the snow, the hill men mobbing them, and knocking 

 them on the head -with clubs. I have seen some very fine horns in 

 Kumaon procured thus. The flesh of the Samber is rather coarse, and 

 rarely fat, but sometimes well tasted. The specific names hippelaphus and 

 Aristoielis were given under the impression that this stag was the Hip- 

 pelaphus, i. «., the horse-deer of Aristotle, but most naturalists think 

 that the Nylghai was intended, and not this animal. 



This deer is /ound in Ceylon, in Assam, Burmah, the Malayan penin- 

 sula, and some of the islands. Blyth remarks that, " the race seems rather 

 smaller in Burmah, the Malayan peninsula and Sumatra, being the R. 

 equina, Auct. ; but it does not appear to me to be fairly separable. I have 

 never seen really fine horns from the eastward of the Bay of Bengal."* 



Several individuals of this deer are living in the Zoological Gardens, 

 where it has bred for some years. 



Rusa tunguc. Vigors, (Cervus rusa, S. Miiller,) from Sumatra, is 

 another well marked species of this group ; and C. Moluccensis, Miiller, 

 from the Moluccas, and C. peronii, Gray, from Timor, are also considered 

 distinct by Dr. Sclater, though stated by Blyth to be barely separable 

 from the Javanese stag. All three are also living in the London Zoolo- 

 gical Gardens. 



Gen. Axis, Ham. Smith. 



Char. — One basal and one subterminal snag ; beam a good deal bent, 

 pale and somewhat smooth. Muffle large, eye-pits large ; inguinal glands ; 

 feet pits in the hind legs only. Canine teeth in the upper jaw in the 

 males only, or in both sexes. Of small or moderate size. Pelage more or 

 less spotted. Tail moderately long. 



221. Axis maculatus. 



Gray.— Blyth, Cat 490.-Figd. F. Ccvier, Mammif. 1, 98-99.— 

 Cervus axis, Eexleben. — C. nudipalpebra, Ogilby (melanoid variety). — 

 Axis major et medius, Hodgson. — Chital, H. — Chitra or Chitri, in some 

 parts ; the male, Jhdnk. — Chatidah, of Bhagulpore. — Boro hhotiya, Beng. 

 at Eungpore. — Buriyd, in Goruckpore. — Saraga, Can. — Dupi, Tel. — Lupi^ 

 of Gonds. 



' Lieutenant R. Beavan aesures me that the largest pair of Samber's boms whioli he has seen 

 wore from Burmah. 



