DEER. 
353 
the evidence of which the Caspian deer was considered to represent a distinct 
species, differs from that of the other members of the group in that the antlers have 
only three points when fully adult, namely, a brow-tine and a fork at the extremity. 
The Ixdian Spotted Deer, or Chital ( Gervus axis). 
The spotted, or axis deer, of India and Ceylon, is our first representative of 
two very closely allied 
groups of Indian deer, ^ 
in which the cylin¬ 
drical antlers have but 
three tines on each side; 
the bez-tine being 
absent, and the beam 
terminating in a simple 
fork. In the spotted 
deer, of which a single 
antler is shown in C of 
the figure on p. 340 and 
a pair in the upper 
figure of the accom¬ 
panying woodcut, the 
bez-tine of the antlers 
is given off nearly at 
a right angle with the 
beam. The whole 
length of the antlers is 
about three times that 
of the skull in average 
specimens; and the 
hinder tine of the 
terminal fork is con¬ 
siderably longer than 
the one in front. 
The spotted deer 
or, as it is called in 
India, the chital or 
chitra, varies consider¬ 
ably in height in differ¬ 
ent localities, buck from 
Northern and Central 
India standing, accord¬ 
ing to Blanford, from antlers op Indian spotted deer (1), swamp-deer (2), and sambar (3). 
3 feet to 3 feet 2 inches 
at the withers, whereas in Southern India the height seldom exceeds from 2 feet 6 
inches to 2 feet 8 inches. The neck and throat of this deer are devoid of any 
VOL. ii.— 23 
