120 Sikine Group 



to the original hind sent home by Mr. Swinhoe, no doubt can be 

 entertained as to the specific identity of all the specimens. 



Dybowski's deer was originally described by Professor Taczanowski from 

 several examples obtained from the Ussuri district of North-Eastern Man- 

 churia, one of which (a male) was presented to the British Museum, where 

 it is preserved. Although not fully mature (the antlers being small), it 

 measures 3 feet 5 inches at the shoulder. It is in winter dress, and has 

 somewhat the general appearance of a very large Manchurian sika, although 

 with a much smaller white caudal patch, no light metatarsal tuft, and the 

 general colour somewhat lighter, although this last difference may be due 

 to fading. If Professor Taczanowski's description be referred to, it will be 

 found that the Ussuri deer is compared with Cervus axis and C. dama, 

 without any reference to the sikas. One specimen in the original 

 description is stated to be the colour of a roe in winter pelage, with faint 

 traces of dappling on the hind-quarters, but another was lighter ; and the 

 Museum example shows little traces of spots. A more mature head (Fig. 3 1) 

 is in the possession of the Duke of Bedford. Sir Victor Brooke considered 

 that this deer might prove identical with C. manc/wricus, and this view 

 was adopted by Herr Moellendorff, and subsequently by myself. I had, 

 however, at that time not seen the paper by Herr Noack, who regards 

 the North Manchurian sika as a perfectly distinct species. And at 

 that time the specimens at Woburn, figured in plate ix, were not 

 nearly so like the types of C. dybowskii as they have since become. 

 The present form seems to be a large, shaggy-haired deer, adapted for 

 living in a cold climate. 



Distribution.— -The district of the Ussuri river, in North -Eastern 

 Manchuria, but recorded by Herr Noack from the south-west of 

 Vladivostock, near the borders of Corea. The distributional area is, 

 therefore, probably more northerly and easterly than that of the Man- 

 churian sika. 



Habits. — From information furnished by Herr Dorries, a few notes on 

 the habits of this deer have been published by Herr Noack in Der Wcid- 

 mann (the German Field) for 14th August 1891. 



From these it appears that the Pekin sika is found in thin forest near 

 the coast, especially on the island of Ascold. The pairing-season com- 

 mences at the end of September, during which the old stags will call 



