Cervid.e — ^ — MAMMALIA. CerVid/E. 175 
winter both sexes collect in vast herds ; but in the 
rutting season the stags frequently engage in the most 
desperate encounters, the struggle of a pair of males 
occasionally ending in mutual slaughter Sometimes 
the antlers ai'e inextricably fixed by the “ tynes,” both 
animals being thus left to perish, as it were, in each 
other’s arms ! 
THE FALLOW DEEE ( Cerviis dama) is much smaller 
than the stag, and is the species most commonly seen 
in the parks of this country. In summer the fur is 
fulvous and spotted with white, but in winter it becomes 
blackish-brown ; the rump being always more or less 
whitish, and banded on either side by dark streaks. 
The tail is dark abo\’e and white underneath. The 
horns are pahnated superiorly ; the flattened expansions 
being bordered with short “ tynes” or dentalations. The 
fallow deer is now scattered all - over Europe, but there 
is reason to believe that it was originally brought fi'om 
the coast of Barbary. Black end even white varieties 
are not uncommon. 
THE AXIS {Cerms Axis) is a remarkably elegant 
and permanently spotted form of deer. It commonly 
goes by the name of the Spotted Stag-deer. It is an 
inhabitant of Northern India, but freely breeds in 
Europe ; and in its native haunts on the borders of the 
Ganges it is much hunted. On such occasions it often 
displays considerable resistance, and when brought to 
bay charges the horsemen with great violence. The 
Axis stands about two and a half feet at the shoulders ; 
the fur having a fawn colour generally, passing into a 
dark brown on the back, whilst the under parts are 
quite white. The females are hornless. 
THE KOEBUCK {Capreolus Dorcas) is a native of 
the temperate parts of Europe, and though not so 
abundant in this country as formerly, is still tolerably 
plentiful in the wilder parts of Scotland. This species 
is readily knovm by its horns, which divide into three 
short branches or “tynes” (Plate 21, fig. 70). The 
Roebuck is monogamous in its habits ; the female 
usually producing two fawns at a birth, her period of 
gestation being five months. The venison of this deer 
is of inferior quality. 
With regard to other members of the cervine family, 
we can only briefly notice the following : — ■ 
THE MUNTJAK {Cervus Muntjac), or Kidang. 
This is a very interesting species, inhabiting Iliiidostan, 
Ceylon, Java, and most of the islands of the Indian 
Archipelago. The distinguishing characteristics of this 
animal consist in the possession of two large tusk-like 
canines in the upper jaw, and in the columnar extension 
of the cranial bones, forming elongated pedestals for the 
support of the two-pronged horns (fig. 64). The fore- 
head is likewise marked with three unusual foldings of 
the skin (fig. 65). In general appearance the Muntjak 
resembles the last-described species, but, whilst the 
body is somewhat stouter, the limbs are, on the other 
hand, more slender; it is also rather larger. Accor- 
ding to Ilorsfield, the Muntjak “ selects for its resort 
certain districts, to which it forms a peculiar attach- 
ment, and which it never voluntarily deserts. Many of 
these are known as the favourite resort of this animal 
for several generations. They consist of moderately ele- 
vated grounds, diversified by ridges and valleys, tending 
towards the acclivities of the more considerable moun- 
tains, or approaching the confines of extensive forests/’ 
Fig, c-i 
Skull of the Muntjak. 
The same authority states, that “the Kidang is impa- 
tient of confinement, and is not fitted for the same 
degree of domestication as the stag. It is, however. 
Fig. r>5. 
Head of the Munfj.'ik. 
occasionally found in the inclosures of natives and 
Europeans, but requires a considerable range to live 
