CERVUS 



963 



Rostrum lengthened and nasal shortened, so that 

 distance from front of nasal to front of pre- 

 maxillary is about equal to that from back of 

 nasal to back of occiput; antlers conspicuously 

 palmate, the shaft nearly horizontal; muzzle 

 hairy except for a small bare spot between nostrils ; 



young not spotted (Elk) Alces, p. 976. 



Rostrum and nasal normal, the distance from front 

 of nasal to front of premaxillary much less than 

 half that from back of nasal to back of occiput ; 

 antlers terete or slightly palmate, the shaft ascend- 

 ing ; muzzle naked ; young spotted with white. 

 Maxillary canines present in both sexes ; antlers 

 terete, spreading, the brow tine, bez tine and 

 trez tine usually present in fully developed 



individuals (Red Deer) Cervus, p. 963. 



Maxillary canines absent, antlers either not terete 

 or not spreading, the complement of tines not 

 entire. 

 Auditory bullae evenly inflated, their surface with- 

 out conspicuous ridges; antlers spreading, 

 without bez tine, the distal portion narrowly 

 palmate; tail well developed (Fallow deer)... Dama, p. 970. 

 Auditory bullae collapsed, their surface con- 

 spicuously ridged ; antlers erect, terete, with- 

 out brow tine ; tail reduced to an incon- 

 spicuous papilla (Roe Deer) Capreolus, p. 973. 



Genus CERVUS Linnseus. 



1758. Cervus Linnseus, Syst. Nat., i, 10th ed., p. 66. 



1827. Elaphus Hamilton Smith, Griffith's Cuvier, Animal Kingdom, v, 



p. 307 (Substitute for Cervus). 

 1857. Cervus Blasius, Saugethiere Deutschlands, p. 438 (part). 

 1899. Eucervus Acloque, Faune de France, Mamm., p. 71 (not of Gray, 



1866). Substitute for Cervus. 



Type species. — Cervus elaphus Linnseus (by tautonymy). 



Geographical distribution. — North temperate region of both 

 Hemispheres ; in the Old World west to the Atlantic coast of 

 Norway, the British Islands and north-western Africa. 



Characters. — Plesiometacarpalian deer of large size with 

 narrow, elongate hoofs ; maxillary canines present in both sexes ; 

 lower incisors (fig. 203) distinctly though not extremely differen- 

 tiated in size and form ; lachrymal vacuity widely open, the pit 

 well developed, moderate; vomer low posteriorly, showing no 

 tendency to divide the posterior nares into two chambers; 

 antlers large, spreading, terete, not beginning to grow until 

 about a year after birth, when fully developed with five or more 

 tines including the brow tine ; base of pedicle extending 

 conspicuously over posterior portion of orbital cavity ; tail well 

 developed, moderate ; muzzle naked ; young spotted with white, 

 their colour very different from that of adults. 



Remarks. — The genus Cervus as thus defined contains the 

 Red Deer group and its immediate allies. The exact limits of 

 the »enus are not definitely known ; but there can be no doubt 



3 q 2 



