167 
THE SPOTTED AXIS. 
A<vis maculatus. — Smitpi. 
PLATE XIII. 
A^IS, of the ancients. — Cov\'-ai Axis of authors.— D’ Axis, 
Fred. Cuvier, Hist. Nat. dcs Mammi/.— Subgenus jAxis, 
HamUtlSmith, Griffith's Cuv. iv. 11«. & Synops. 
This beautiful and graceful deer has been by all 
its describers compared with the European fallow- 
deer, from the nearness of size, and the similarity of 
colouring. The form of the horns, however, at once 
distinguish it, being destitute of palmation, or broad- 
ening at the tips, and the skin, in all its changes from 
the seasons, always retaining the spotted appearance. 
The Spotted Axis is abundant in Bengal, upon the 
banks of the Ganges, and in many of the eastern 
islands ; and by the British sportsmen in India is 
frequently hunted under the appellation of the Spotted 
Hog-deer. They frequent chiefly the thick matted 
jungles in the vicinity of water, are extremely timo- 
rous and indolent, and feed during the night. In 
these shelters they also produce their young, at which 
period the bucks lay aside their timidity, and boldly 
act on the defensive against any assailant. In con- 
