146 Rusine Group 



as valid sub-species, is still an open question ; and I confess to a great 

 difficulty in determining specimens of which the place of origin is unknown. 

 In the case of hinds and stags without antlers, I believe it to be frequently 

 a matter of impossibility even to determine to which of the two specific 

 types they belong. 



In the skull of the present species the nasal bones, when the animal is 

 fully adult, develop a plate at the posterior expansion, which tends to grow 

 over the lachrymal vacuity ; and in some of the smaller races — notably the 

 Philippine — the extension is so great as to reduce the vacuity to a mere 

 fissure. 



Distribution. — The undulating or hilly wooded districts of a large 

 portion of the Oriental region, namely India, Ceylon, Assam, Burma, the 

 Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Siam, W. China, Hainan, Formosa, and the 

 Philippines. 



a. Indian Race — Cervus unicolor typicus 

 Plate X 



Characters. — Size very large, the height at the shoulder reaching 5 feet 

 4 inches, or perhaps more. Antlers long, with the two tines of the terminal 

 fork generally of approximately equal length, but if unequal, the front one 

 usually the shorter (Fig. 38), and the hinder one arising from the posterior 

 surface of the beam and not forming the continuation of the axis of the 

 latter. Colour almost uniformly dark umber-brown, but tending to gray or 

 yellowish in some individuals ; under-parts very little paler than the back, 

 but the chin, inner portion of the buttocks, the lower surface of the tail, 

 and the inner side of the upper-part of the limbs more or less distinctly 

 chestnut ; hinds paler than the stags ; young reddish, probably with a 

 black tail and dorsal band, but spots wanting even when newly born. Ears 

 very broad, about equal to half the length of the head ; the latter fairly 

 long, with a comparatively straight profile ; tail moderately bushy, and 

 longer than the ear. 



The following dimensions of antlers are taken from Mr. Rowland 

 Ward's "Records of Big Game, but Mr. Blanford mentions a larger pair, of 

 which the length is 48 inches. Antlers vary enormously in girth, length, 

 and span, the longest specimens being by no means the stoutest. Any 



