284 



The Living Animals of the World 



The challencrino- wapiti usually does most of the offensive fighting until he finds (if such be 

 the ease) that "he is the ^veaker ; then he suddenly retires, l)ellowmg as he goes." In the old 

 days the Indians of North America were in the habit of organising great wapiti drives. Entire 

 herds were surrounded bv a ring of mounted men, and forced over precipices. 



In recent years it has been discovered that wai.iti are also denizens of certain parts 

 of Asia At least two sub-species-the Altai WArrri and the iAIanchuman WAPrri-bave thus 



far been identified. The former, some- 

 times known as the Thian-shan Stag, 

 is found in the forests of the Altai 

 and Thian-slian ]\Iountains, west of the 

 jMongolian Desert. Compared with its 

 American congener, it is inferior in stature, 

 has shorter legs, a longer body, and jJ^o- 

 portionately larger antlers, though none 

 lia\-e yet approached those of the longest 

 American specimens. These splendid stags, 

 of wldch living specimens have been 

 maintained by the Duke of Bedford at 

 Woburn, are captured alive by the Altai 

 natives, and kept in domestication for 

 the sake of their antlers, which are sold 

 in China for purposes of medicine at as 

 much as the value of £10 apiece. 



The Maxchurian Wapiti, or Lueh- 

 dokf's Stag, is a well-marked local race 

 of the wapiti, which turns reddish in 

 summer. It has received several names, 

 and is well characterised by the form 

 of its antlers. It has been kept alive 

 in the Duke of Bedford's park at "Woburn 

 Abbey. It seems probable that the Siljerian stags will eventually be referred to the wapiti 

 group. 



lioKHARA Deer. 



A fine deer from Eussian Turkestan is at present known as the Bokhara Deer. It is 

 said to resemble the shou of IS'orthern Bhutan more than any other species, and, standing 

 about 4 feet at the shoulder, is of an ashen-grey colour, tinged with yellow. A living specimen 

 has been exhibited at iMoscow, and it is believed that specimens in the collection of the 

 Duke of Bedford belong to this form. 



Sikas. 



The Sikas, as ty]iificd by the Japanese I)eek, are a group of deer of moderate size, 

 distinguished from the preceding assemblage by antlers of simpler type, each antler having 

 usually four points, and lacking the second, or bez, tine. The coat is spotted with white, 

 and white markings appear about the tail. The tail is much longer than in the red deer 

 group. The Jajianese deer, found in Japan and North China, is a beautiful creature, somewhat 

 smaller than the fallow deer of Europe, having a coat of brilliant chestnut, thickly spotted with 

 white in curious longitudinal markings. This is the summer pelage ; in winter the colour 

 changes to dark brown, and the spots mostly disappear. When in the velvet, the antlers are 

 of a bright chestnut-red, with black tips, and at this season the bucks look their handsomest. 

 A good head measures from 25 to '.il inches, and carries usually eight points. 



The ]\Ianchijkian Sika may be looked upon as a larger variety of the Japanese deer, with 

 a somewhat darker coat. 



Jl^ permifsiij^i 



A SPOTTED ORIENTAL DEEK. 

 One uf the r;iiineious Philipjiine sijecies. 



[Nea I'n 



