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Show 40 MR. R. LYDEKKER ON THE [Jan. 19, Cervus mantchuricus, Swinhoe, P.Z.S. 1864, p. 169, 1865, p. 1 ; P. L. Sclater, Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. vii. p. 344, pis. xxxi., xxxii. (1871); Brooke, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 968 ; P. L. Sclater, List Anim. Zool. Gardens, p. 163 (1883). Pseudaxls mantchurlca, Gray, Cat. Rum. M a m m . Brit. Mus. p. 72 (1872); Hand-list Ruminants Brit. Mus. p. 141 (1873). Cervus kopschl, Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 574 ; Brooke, ibid. 1878, p. 909. Cervus dybowskii, Taczanowski, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 123 ; Brooke, ibid. 1878, p. 909 ; nee W . L. Sclater, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. lviii. p. 186, pl. xi. (1889), and Cat. M a m m . Ind. Mus. pt. ii. p. 182 (1891). Hab. Manchuria (Upper Ussuri), Kiangse, and Newchwang, China. The name C. sica was originally given to the small Deer of Japan, which usually stand about 2 feet 8 inches at the shoulder, and-although profusely spotted on the body with white in summer-turn a uniform blackish-brown in winter. Generally all traces of spots disappear at the latter season, although, as noticed by Mr. Sclater in his monograph in the Society's ' Transactions,' faint indications of them may sometimes be observed. C. euopls of Swinhoe, from North China, appears, as mentioned by Brooke, " to differ in no appreciable external characters from ordinary specimens of C. sica." This form is included in Mr. Sclater's "List" (1883) under the latter species ; although it is remarkable that both in that " List" and the one just issued the habitat of C. sica is given as " Japan" only. Specimens at Woburn which probably came from China are indistinguishable from the typical form, which may accordingly be regarded as common to Japan and the mainland. Other examples at Woburn, which likewise probably came from China-although some may be Japanese-are considerably larger than the typical form, and thus lead on to the variety manchurlcus. One of them is a very dark-coloured doe, Avhich retains distinct traces of spots on the hind-quarters in the winter coat, and so resembles the still larger so-called dybowskii. It would seem that intermediate forms also occur in Japan, for Sir V. Brooke l wrote as follows :-" The Society has within the last few years received living specimens of a Pseudaxls from Japan, which are intermediate in size between P. sika and P. mantchuricus. These have, in m y opinion, with excellent judgment, been labelled by the Secretary as Cervus mantchuricus minor. I think it probable that, when a larger series of Pseudaxine Deer are brought together, it will be found impossible to separate them into definite species, but that it -will be found necessary to regard them as one species of wide geographical range, endowed with a constitution sufficiently elastic to enable it to support very varied conditions." 1 P. Z. S. 1878, p. 909. |