530 



THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 



seen in small families of six or seven, for which the older 

 females act as sentinels. The gait of these animals is a swing- 

 ing; easy trot, or, when pursued, a clumsy gallop. They are not 

 difficult to hunt, but their principal utility is for their skin and 

 antlers. The flesh is coarse and the fat is excessively hard, 

 and the meat is not held in great esteem. 



THE AXIS DEER. 



Among the Deer of India we must first mention 

 the Axis, called by the Hindus, Chital, and by the 

 English, the Spotted Deer {Axis axis). It rep- 

 resents a distinct sub-genus, and attains a length of 

 body of from fifty-four to sixty inches, the height at 

 the shoulders being only from thirty-six to thirty- 

 eight inches. , So far as color is concerned it may be 

 called one of the handsomest, if not the handsomest, 



plentiful and collects in great herds, which graze in 

 the open places during the night, and seek the shade 

 of the forest in the day. The Axis is the object of 

 persistent pursuit by the natives and by Englishmen; 

 this continual pursuit may be the reason why it is as 

 shy as the common Deer in localities where experi- 

 ence has familiarized it with being hunted. A cap- 

 tive Axis soon becomes entirely docile, however. It 

 was introduced into England many years ago and it 

 thrives excellently in the mild English climate. 



THE RUSINE GROUP. 



Most other Deer of India bear a peculiar stamp, 

 which distinguishes them from their European or 

 American relatives, but can better be appreciated on 



THE AXIS SEEK One of the most beautiful of the many species of the Deer family is the 'Vxis Deer found in India The coat of this 



animal, in both sexes and at all seasons, is distinctly spotted. The antlers of the male are long but thebiaiiches aie not very numerous. {Cervus axis.) 



of all Deer. An attractive grayish fawn hue is the 

 ground color; the stripe on the back appears very 

 dark, nearly black on the withers; the throat, abdo- 

 men and inner faces of the limbs are yellowish- 

 white, the outer surface of the limbs yellowish- 

 brown. Seven rows of white, rather irregularly 

 placed spots, conspicuously adorn each side. 

 Range and Pecul- The Axis is a native of all India, 

 iarities of the with the exception of the Punjab, 

 Axis. and of the country east of it to 



Cochin China and is also found in the island of Cey- 

 lon. The animal inhabits the level as well as the 

 hilly country and is found at the foot of the Hima- 

 layas and in the Sundarbans, in stately forests as 

 well as in the jungle, but generally near water. 

 Wherever the surroundings are to its taste, it is quite 



personal inspection than described. In general one 

 may say that these Indian Deer, which form the sub- 

 genus Rusa, are of more or less compact organiza- 

 tion, with stout limbs, short head and neck, but with 

 a proportionately long tail, and are thinly covered 

 with coarse, brittle hair. Only the males have horns 

 and the horns have, as a rule, no more than six spurs. 

 In my opinion the Sambhar {Rusa aristotelis), which 

 was described by Aristotle under the name of "Hip: 

 pelaphus" in a manner leaving no doubt as to its 

 identity, may be designated as the stateliest and 

 noblest Deer of this group. 



The Great Rusa— The Great Rusa (i?«i« hippelaphus) 

 Its Physical Propor- is little inferior to the Stag and 



tions, Range, etc. Sambhar in size, and measures fully 

 six feet eight inches, twelve inches of which are in- 



