294 American Deer 



Furcifcr, Sundevall, K. Svenska Vet. Ak. Hand I. for 1844, p. 183 

 (1846), in part, as a sub-genus ; Gray, Proc. Zoo/. Soc. 1850, p. 236, Cat. 

 Ungulata Brit. Mas. p. 226 (1852), Cat. Ruminants Brit. Mi/s. p. 88 

 (1872), Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, vol. xiii. p. 331 (1874); Brooke, 

 Proc. Zoo/. Soc. 1878, p. 923 ; Rutimeyer, Abh. schweiz. pal. Ges. vol. viii. 

 p. 49 (188 1 ) ; nec Fitzinger, 1843. 



Xenelaphus, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 498, Cat. Ruminants Brit. 

 Mus. p. 89 (1872), Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, vol. xiii. p. 331 (1874). 



Anomalocera, Gray, Scientific Opinion, 1869, p. 384 ; Philippi, Wiegmann s 

 Archk\ 1870, p. 46 ; nec Templer, 1837. 



Hunmc/a, Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, vol. xi. p. 217 (1873) ; 

 Hand-list Ruminants Brit. Mus. p. 159 (1873). 



Creagoceros, Fitzinger, SB. Ak. Wien, vol. lxviii. part i. p. 358 (1873), 

 lxxviii. part i. p. 369 (1879). 



Characters. — Antlers small and simple, forming a single dichotomous 

 fork, of which the front prong is the smaller, and curves upwards and 

 backwards towards the hinder one. Metatarsal gland and tuft absent. 

 Tail short and rather bushy. Face moderately long ; face-gland large and 

 exposed, and the gland-pit in the skull deep and triangular, but not very 

 large. Upper canines present in both sexes, although not projecting 

 beyond the lips. Fur very coarse and brittle. Size medium. Fawns 

 uniformly coloured. 



This sub-genus is well distinguished by the simply forked antlers, the 

 coarse brittle hair, and the absence of the metatarsal gland. The absence 

 of the latter, and the uniform coloration at all seasons and all ages are 

 evidently specialised features ; and it accordingly seems that the simple 

 form of the antlers is due to degradation, and cannot therefore be regarded 

 as indicating the ancestral type from which the more complex forms of 

 Mazama antlers have been evolved. 



The synonymy of the sub-genus and its two existing species is singularly 

 involved and complex ; the clearing of the web of confusion being mainly 

 due to Mr. Sclater. As noted below, the early names Hippocamelus and 

 Cervequus are rejected on account of their inappropriate nature. The name 

 Purcifer being preoccupied, and also apparently first applied to the pampas 

 deer, Xenelaphus and Anomalocera come next, the second of these being 

 likewise barred by an earlier use. Although Xenelaphus was originally 



