Guide to the galleries of mammals in the Department of Zoology of the British Museum.

  • British Museum (Natural History). Department of Zoology.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Guide to the galleries of mammals in the Department of Zoology of the British Museum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    93/146 page 77
    The following Deer may be specially mentioned :— The Reindeer, Rangifer tarandus (1262), now found only in the northern regions of both the Old and New Worlds, is the only member of the family in which both males and females have antlers ; and these are peculiar in not being alike on the two sides, the great palmated brow-antler l)eing, as a rule, fully developed on one side only. The Elk, Alces macJdis (1259, 1260), the largest member of the family, is also circumpolar in its distribution. A male and female are exhibited near the entrance of the Gallery (case A). The AVapiti, Cervus canadensis (1269), which is typically a North American species, is represented by a male in the middle line of the Gallery (case D) ; the Tien Shan AAbapiti, C. c. sonr/aricus (1271), is also shown, as is the Manchurian Wapiti, C. c. xantliopygns (1275). Thorold^s Deer, Cervus alhirostris (1265), is a distinct species from Central Tibet, while the Hangul or Kashmir Stag, C. casJimirianus (1266), represents another type. The Japanese Deer, C. sika, audits all}^ CJiortulorwn (127S), of China are smaller species. The Fallow Deer, Cervus, or Dama, dama (1280), is a native of Southern Europe and Asia Minor. The typical member of the whole group is the European Red Deer, C. elaplms (1263), of which the Maral, C. e. maral (1264), is an eastern race. The various members of the Rusiiie and Rucervine groups are natives of the Oriental countries, such as the Sambar, C. [i?u5a] unicolor (1282), the Moluccan Deer, C. [i^.] moluc- and the Hog-deer, C. \_Hyelaijhus'] porcinus . Of the last, a set of seven pairs of antlers, developed in as many successive years by the same individual, is exhibited. The Muntjacs, Cervidus (1295 to 1297), form a small Asiatic group, in which the antlers are supported on hair-covered pedicles, longer than the portion annually shed and renewed. Nearly related to these are the Tufted Deer, Elaphodus (1298 to 1299), exhibited in the same case. On the west side of case 58 are specimens of the Chinese AVater-Deer, Hydropotes inermis (1300). The Roebuck, Capreoliis caprea (1302), formerly found in all forests of Great Britain, but gradually driven to the north, has [Cases lb C,&r)8.1 [Cases A. & 60.] [Oases 62, C* E.] [Case 60.j [Case 60.} [Case 58.} [Case 60.}
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