264 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
A WORD should be 
said upon the subject 
of the acclimatisation of 
various members of the 
Deer Tribe in countries 
which are distant from 
their native ground, but 
in which they are found 
to thrive and_ breed, 
some with greater and 
some with less success. 
Several of the illustra- 
tions in this chapter are 
taken from deer living 
in natural conditions 
at an English country 
seat in Bedfordshire. 
Others were photo- 
graphed out of doors in 
zoological parks or pri- 
vate menageries. There 
is a considerable degree 
of transferability among 
d 1 A very elegant South American species. The main colour is a bright chestnut, with the lower part 
eer, not only among of the legs black. The insides of the ears are filled with white hair, looking like silver filigree 
those found in temper- ® 
ate or northern regions, but also those which inhabit the tropical jungles of Southern 
India. 
The Axis, or Chital Deer of India, is the most striking example. It lives in the hot 
jungles, where it is the usual food of the tiger. Yet it has been transferred to the forests of 
France and to English parks, and not only lives, but breeds and increases in numbers. In 
France and Germany herds of axis deer have been maintained long enough to observe a 
curious and noteworthy incident in acclimatisation. The axis deer breeds naturally in October, 
after the Indian rainy season. This habit, if persisted in in Europe, would expose the fawn 
to the rigours of the French or English winter. Gradually and after some time the herds 
become irregular in the time of reproduction, and later produce the fawns in June, at the 
time which is best suited to their survival. This is a real instance of acclimatisation. 
The Japanese Deer, or Sika, was introduced into the park at Powerscourt by Viscount 
Powerscourt some thirty years ago. Now it is one of the commonest of recently introduced 
park-deer both in England and in France. The venison is excellent, and the herds are 
prolific. The stags are small, but very strong, and at Powerscourt always get the better of 
the red deer stags, and sometimes carry off their hinds. Wapiti Deer are kept in several 
English parks, but so far the Sambar has proved a failure. Hog-deer and Chinese Water-deer 
do very well both in England and France. 
But it is in New Zealand that the best results have been obtained with imported deer. 
The English Red Deer, some of which were originally sent out by the Prince Consort, 
reinforced by some of the same species bred in Australia, have become indigenous. They 
grow far faster and to a larger size than those on the Scotch moors, and rival the 
great stags of the Carpathians. The antlers also increase in size at an abnormal rate. 
Licences are regularly issued to stalk and shoot these deer, which, like the brown trout and 
the pheasant, are now among the stock of established wild fauna. Moose and a few Sam- 
bar stags and herds have also been turned out in New Zealand. The latter are said to be 
doing well. 
YOUNG MARSH-DEER 
