iji Rusine Group 



of the races of rusa or sambar. They have four points ; and in the figured 

 example recall to a certain extent those of the rucervine group. The 

 general similarity of these appendages in the two stags is decidedly against 

 abnormality, although they may possibly be hybrids. They are certainly 

 members of the present group ; but nothing is known as to their place of 

 origin. The pedicles of the antlers were longer when young than at the 

 time when the figure was taken, and it is possible these deer may prove to 

 be the adult of C. culionensis. 



3. The Philippine Spotted Deer — Cervus alfredi 



Cervus alfredi, Sclater, P roc. Zoo I. Soc. 1870, p. 381 ; Brooke, ibid. 1877, 

 p. 59, 1878, p. 902 ; Meyer, ibid. 1879, p. 666. 



Axis alfredi, Gray, Cat. Ruminants Brit. Mas. p. 80 (1872). 



Melanaxis alfredi, Heude, Mem. hist. nat. emp. Chinois, vol. ii. p. 47 

 (1888). 



Characters. — Size relatively small, the height at the shoulder being 

 about 28 inches ; build long and low ; face rather long. Hair less coarse 

 and shaggy than in any of the preceding forms. Ground-colour of pelage 

 or upper-parts of adult dark blackish brown, frequently with a deep black 

 line along the middle of the back ; the whole body marked with a number 

 ot distinct whitish spots, forming a regular row on each side of the back, 

 but less regularly distributed elsewhere ; under-parts, chin, lower lip, inner 

 surface of buttocks and of upper portion of legs, as well as the front of the 

 thighs, white ; young also spotted. Antlers supported on short pedicles ; 

 apparently of the general type of those of the Malayan sambar, but re- 

 latively smaller, and with a shorter brow-tine ; good specimens are, 

 how ever, not known. Ears short and rounded, about one-third the length 

 of the head, almost naked behind ; face-gland fairly large ; no mane on 

 neck ; tail rather short and thinly haired, with some white on the lower 

 surface. 



This very handsomely coloured little deer was first made known from a 

 living male specimen presented to the Zoological Society in 1870, of which 

 the skin i^ now preserved in the British Museum. A female was received 

 by the Society in 1871, and its skin is now mounted in the same collection. 

 The male first bred with the type female of the Basilan sambar, and subse- 



