48 MAMMALIA 



by his uncle Sir Geo. Grey; but he cannot give the exact date of 

 their introduction. In 1864 the Nelson Society received three fallovir 

 deer from England, and from these there has descended a well-known 

 herd, but I cannot find any record of the increase and disposal of 

 the original importation. In 1867 the Otago Society introduced two 

 deer, in 1869 twelve, and in 1871 one. All these were liberated on the 

 Blue Mountains, Tapanui, where they have increased to a vast extent,, 

 and now form one of the most important herds in New Zealand. 

 Licences to shoot them have been issued for over 25 years. The most 

 recent report (1921) from this district is that so many deer are being 

 shot by the settlers that the herd is threatened with extinction. In 

 1 87 1 the Canterbury Society had four fallow deer in their gardens, 

 but there is no record now obtainable as to where they came from, 

 nor definitely as to what was done with them. But in later years some 

 were running on the Culverden Estate and two more deer — obtained 

 from Tasmania — ^were added to them. This herd did not increase, 

 and apparently has been gradually destroyed since. In 1876 the 

 Auckland Society received 28 deer (out of 33 shipped from London), 

 and liberated 18 on the Maungakawa Range, Waikato; while 10 were 

 sent down to Wanganui. The former herd has increased very largely, 

 and is noted for the fine heads of the stags, due, no doubt, to the 

 abundance of food and the favourable climatic conditions. The Wan- 

 ganui herd is now also a large one. On Motutapu in the Hauraki Gulf, 

 there is a very large herd numbering a thousand or more, and these 

 were probably obtained in the first instance from the Waikato herd. 

 Smaller, more recently established herds occur near Timaru, Hokitika 

 and Lake Wakatipu. It is thus seen that the species is widely spread. 

 Mr Hardcastle informs me that the rutting season for fallow deer is 

 about April 13th to 15th, depending upon the weather. Frosty nights 

 and clear days bring both fallow deer and red deer into season a 

 little earlier, while warm weather delays the rut. 



Axis Deer or "Chital" (Cervus axis) 



In 1867 the Otago Society imported seven of these deer, which 

 were liberated in the Goodwood Bush near Palmerston S. In 187 1 

 another stag was landed and added to the herd, which at that time 

 numbered about 30. In 1881 the inspector reported that he had 

 seen over 40. Then complaints began to come in from the settlers 

 that the deer were a nuisance, and their numbers gradually diminished. 

 Gradually they disappeared, apparently destroyed by the settlers in 

 the district, and none has been seen for the last 20 years. In 1898 

 the Wellington Society received a pair from the Zoological Society 



