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Show 54 MESSRS. DANFORD AND ALSTON ON [Feb. 3, authorities of Ainsworth and Kotschy, skins were seen in the bazaar at Marash which came from Zeitoun, where they are said to be numerous and very destructive to the orchards. 20. *LUTRA VULGARIS, Erxl. Su-itti, Kundush. D. & A., no. 16. 21. *URSUS ARCTOS, Linn. Aiyee. D. & A., no. 17. 22. URSUS SYRIACUS, Ehrenb. Aiyee. D. & A., no. 18. [PHOCA, sp. ? D. & A., p. 275.] 23. *Sus SCROFA, Linn. Domooz, Yaban-domoos. D. & A., no. 19. 24. *CERVUS ELAPHUS, Linn. Silyun. D. & A., no. 20. W e are inclined to think that the Red Deer does not now exist in the Taurus proper; but it still lingers in the Anti-Taurus, where, however, it is fast dying out, perhaps owing to the advent of great numbers of Circassians. Large heads of recently-killed animals were brought to Danford, and he was well assured of their present existence. These wild and thinly-populated mountains, abounding in high grassy meadows and forests of juniper and other trees, are well fitted to be the last refuge of the Red Deer of these regions. In the northern districts of Asia Minor C. elaphus is much commoner ; and we believe that it is found throughout the whole range of wooded hills bordering the Black Sea and the west coast at least as far as Broussa, where Danford was shown skins which indicated the great size which this animal attains in the forests of Olympus. All the heads which we have seen from the Anti-Taurus are peculiar in having the brow and bay tines united at the base, and appearing like the bifurcation of one branch. [At the village of Jarpuz, at the foot of the Bimboghas Mountains near Albistan, Danford obtained from a peasant a very remarkable Deer's antler, in either a subfossil or a greatly weathered condition ; and he saw another similar specimen in the same locality. When he exhibited this autler at a meeting of the Society last year1 there was some difference of opinion as to whether it was or was not an abnormal specimen of Cervus elaphus; but as we are ourselves strongly of opinion that it cannot be referred to any known recent Deer, we reserve its description for another opportunity.] 25. *CERVUS DAMA, Linn. Yamoorcha. D. & A., no. 21. In the central pine-wooded districts of Rhodes wild Fallow Deer are not uncommon; but the animals appear to be rather small, as might be expected from their insulated range. The following are the measurements of a buck, of about four years old, killed at Laerma in Rhodes on the 22nd December, 1878:- inches. Length of head and body 48*00 „ tail, with hair 14*00 „ caudal vertebrae 900 1 P. Z. S. 1879, p. 552. |