Glands 



r 5 



on the face immediately below the eyes. In some kinds, like the muntjacs 

 and the Virginian deer, these glands are comparatively small, forming little 

 more than folds in the skin, and having only very small and shallow 

 depressions in the skull for their reception. In other kinds, however, and 

 especially in the various races of sambar, they attain an enormous develop- 

 ment, and rest in large and deep cavities in the bones of the skull. The 

 upper surface, or lid, of such a gland is capable of complete eversion, 

 leaving exposed the large cavity in the skull lined with glistening pink 

 mucous membrane ; and so peculiar is the appearance of the animals when 

 the glands are thus opened, that the Chinese have conferred upon the 

 Formosan race the designation of the four-eyed deer. As these glands are 

 opened most fully and most frequently during the pairing-season by the 

 stags, it is evident that they are largely connected with the sexual function. 

 The muntjacs have also a single gland situated on the forehead, and hence 

 termed the frontal gland. 



In addition to these face-glands, most deer have interdigital or foot- 

 glands, situated between the two main hoofs of each foot, and doubtless 

 serving to leave a strong scent upon the ground over which their owner has 

 passed. There may also be either one or two glands situated on each hind 

 leg, the position of which is indicated by a tuft of hair longer than that 

 clothing the rest of the limb, and frequently also differing more or less 

 markedly in colour. The more commonly developed of these glands is 

 situated on the outer surface of the lower segment of the hind limb above 

 the foot, this segment being the one containing the cannon-bone, and 

 technically known as the metatarsus. Hence the gland and tuft are spoken 

 of as the metatarsal gland and tuft. In the red deer group this tuft forms 

 a patch situated generally high up on the cannon-bone, and not differing 

 markedly in colour from the hair of the rest of the leg. In the mule-deer 

 it forms an extremely elongated strip extending along the greater part of 

 the outer side of the cannon-bone, and of the same general coloration as 

 the shorter hair adjacent. On the other hand, in the Virginian deer the 

 gland forms a very small circular black patch near the lower extremity 

 of the cannon-bone, surrounded by a conspicuous fringe of long white 

 hairs. Not a little remarkable is the circumstance that in some smaller 

 southern forms closely allied to the Virginian deer this gland is totally 

 absent. In the sequel it is suggested that its presence or absence may 



