338 VERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 



no homs, while the canine teeth are developed in both jaws, and the 

 upper canines of the males are tusk-like. The Tragulidce are found 

 in India, the Indian Archipelago, and Africa. 



The family Verridie includes the true Deer and the Musk-deer, 

 and is characterised by the fact that the forehead carries two solid 

 bony antlers, which are not hollow, and are usually much branched 

 (fig. 244). With the single exception of the Reindeer, these appen- 

 dages are exclusively confined to the males, and are deciduous; 

 that is to say, they are only produced at certain seasons (annually, 

 at the breeding season), and they are shed and reproduced before 

 the commencement of the next breeding season. They increase in 

 size and in the number of branches every time they ai-e reproduced 

 till in the old males they may attain an enormous size. 



Fig. 244. —Side-view of tire sl^ull of the Roebucic (^Caj)rmlu5 capnm). 

 (After Giebel.) 



Among the more familiar of the Deer may be mentioned the Elk, 

 or Moose {Alces Amcriuanus) of Scandinavia and North America ; 

 the Reindeer and Caribou {Cerriis (araiidus) of Northern Europe, 

 Asia, and North America ; the Red Deer {Ceruus elaplius) of Europe ; 

 the Wapiti {C. Cu nude axis) of Canada ; and the Roebuck {Capreohis 

 caprcea) of Noi-thern Europe. 



Of the Giraffes or Cimielojxirdn/idiv there is only a single living 

 form, exclusively confined to the African continent. Both sexes 

 have two pairs of short horns, caiTied on the forehead ; but these 

 are persistent, and are covered with a hairy skin. The neck is 

 extremely long, and the fore-legs much longer than the hind-legs. 

 It is the largest of living Ruminants, and measures as much as from 

 fifteen to eighteen feet in height. 



The Cavicornia or Hollow-horned Ruminants comprise the Oxen, 



