Chital 1 8 1 



38 inches ; in Southern India the height is less, usually varying from 30 

 to 34 inches, although 36 has in one instance been recorded. It was to 

 the small South Indian form that Hodgson gave the name of Axis minor. 

 The shape of the antlers is exactly the reverse of that obtaining in the 

 rusa. Those of the present species may be described as consisting of a 

 brow-antler and a beam, the latter of which gives off an inner tine some- 

 where near the middle of its length ; whereas in the rusa the beam gives 

 off an outer tine. On the other hand, in all the varieties of the sambar 

 (C. unicolor) the beam may be described as more distinctly forked, although 

 there is great variation in the relative length of its constituent tines. 

 Ordinary specimens of chital antlers from North and Central India measure 

 about 30 inches, and any examples over this length may be considered 

 good ; in Southern India they are smaller. The following are some of the 

 largest specimens recorded by Mr. Rowland Ward : — 



Length along 

 Outer Curve. 



Basal 

 Circumference. 



Tip to Tip. 



Locality. 





4f 





Central Provinces 



37i 



4i 



2 4| 





37f 



4 



24! 





37i 



4i 



i6| 





36| 



4f 



!9i 





2^ 



4± 



2 5 



Berar 





4* 



i5l 



Nepal 



36 



4i 



2 5i 





35i 



4i 



i8i 





35* 



4| 



2 3 





35i 



4i 



2 2| 



Western Ghats 



35 



4 



? 



North Kanara 



A still finer head is shown in Fig. 5, p. 31. 



The reasons for including this species in the rusine group, instead of 

 referring it to a separate group by itself, have already been mentioned. 

 From the retention of the spots at all ages and seasons, the Indian spotted 

 deer may be regarded as the most primitive and least specialised member 

 of the whole group ; the long tail being probably also a primitive 

 character. Many writers have considered the Indian spotted deer as nearly 

 allied to the sikas ; but almost the only features common to the two are 



