VARIETIES OF ASIATIC DEER 
The Persian red deer (C. elaphus maral) is abundant in the forests of the 
Caspian provinces of Persia, ranging from Astarabad through North-East 
Persia to the mountains flanking the Mashad Valley on the verge of the 
Kara Kum Desert. Though made the type of the species C. maral by 
Ogilby in 1840, and of a sub-species by Mr Lydekker in 1898, C. elaphus 
maral , it is probably less known in detail than any. As it is being fully 
dealt with by another writer in the present volume, I will say nothing 
more about it. 
McNeill’s deer (C. macneilli) I have already alluded to in the chapter on 
Chinese game. 
The milu or Pere David’s deer ( Elaphurus davidianus). I have dealt with 
this animal in the chapter on Chinese game. 
The Sikas are readily distinguished from the elaphine group by their 
spotted coloration and comparatively simple antlers, which usually carry 
four tines on each horn. 
The Sikas, the Elaphine and the Damine groups are all three descended 
from Pliocene ancestors with sika-like antlers, the modern sikas being 
nearest to the ancestral type. 
They are distributed throughout Northern China, Manchuria and Japan 
and the Liu Kiu Islands, where they are represented by two or three races, 
differing chiefly in size. 
C. ska typicus , of Japan and North China, varies in height from about 
32 inches to 34 inches; C. s. manchuricus , a larger animal, being about 
39 inches. The Formosan species is slightly larger than the Japanese 
variety. 
Japanese sika are beautiful little animals and have been acclimatized 
in parks in Great Britain, where they have been known to cross with red 
deer. 
The Japanese sika ( C . s. typicus) has a bright chestnut coat, longi- 
tudinally spotted, turning to a uniform blackish brown in winter. 
Occasionally spots are found at this time of the year on the hinds. When 
in the velvet the antlers are a light chestnut red, with black tips. The 
black bordered white rump patch is very distinct. The bucks utter a 
kind of whistle. 
The Manchurian sika (C. s. manchuricus). This species, as has been said, 
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