OCR Text |
Show 1893.] NEW STAG FROM TIBET. 445 height at the shoulder must have been about 4 feet, that measurement on the body over the curves to the withers having been recorded by Dr. Thorold as 4 ft. 5 in., and the length from the insertion of the tail to the nose 6 ft. U in. The tail (with hair probably) measured only 4 inches. The ears are of moderate size and pointed, and measure outside in the mounted skin 9£ inches from the head. Head of Cervus thoroldi. The horns are distinguished at once by the want of the bez tine characteristic of the Elaphine group and found in the other Tibetan Stag G. affinis. There are five points on each horn (except one, which has only 4), and there can be very little doubt that this is the number characteristic of the adult. The beam is angularly bent at the insertion of the second tine (corresponding in position to the tres tine of G. elaphus), and above this is gradually curved back and presents the peculiarity that the upper four points and the upper part of the beam are nearly in a flat plane. Another conspicuous character is that (except in one horn which is slightly abnormal) the third tine exceeds all the others in length. The corresponding tine (4th) is generally the longest in the Wapiti, |