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Show 1870.] MR. R. SWINHOE ON A N E W DEER FROM CHINA. 91 the upper body is flattened, and undulates from side to side, or is zigzag in its length, giving it in some veiws quite a spiral appearance. I notice the same peculiarity in the corresponding hair of the Moschus. Each of these hairs in our animal is white from its base for the greater part of its length, then blackish brown, ending with a light chestnut tip; thus, the hairs overlapping each other, the chestnut tips give the general ground-colour, and the blackish rings the stippling. Fore leg. Length of hoof in front 1*25, breadth of each segment *75 ; length of hind toe *75, its breadth *45, raised about '75 above the sole of the foot. Hind leg. Length of hoof I* 18, breadth of each segment *63 ; length of hind toe *60, its breadth '45, raised above sole of foot 1*30, The above description is taken from a buck bought in the market at Shanghai on the 30th November 1868, and consequently in its winter coat. In coloration and outward appearance the little Pudu comes much nearer to our species than does the bristly-looking brown Moschus. It is also chestnut-coloured, stippled with black and red on the head and ears; but its rump and tail are red (which are not so in our animal), and the male carries horns. Dr. Gunther has kindly assisted me in working out the affinities of this animal. In the large riverine islands of the Yangtsze above Chinkiang these animals occur in large numbers, living among the tall rushes that are there grown for thatching and other purposes. The rushes are cut down in the spring ; and the Deer then swim away to the main shore and retire to the cover of the hills. In autumn, after the floods, when the rushes are again grown, they return with their young and stay the winter through. They are said to feed on the rush-sprouts and coarse grasses, and they doubtless often finish off with a dessert from the sweet-potatoes, cabbages, &c. which the villagers cultivate on the islands during winter. They cannot, however, do much damage to the latter, or they would not be suffered to exist in such numbers as they do ; for the islands have their villages and a pretty numerous agricultural population. Fortunately for the Deer, the Chinese have an extraordinary dislike for their flesh. I could not ascertain why; but it must be from some strange superstition, as the Celestials are otherwise pretty nearly omnivorous. The Deer are killed only for the European markets, and sold at a low price. Their venison is coarse and without much taste, but is considered tolerable for want of better; it is the only venison procurable in Shanghai. The animal itself gives sport to the gunner ; and numbers are slaughtered every winter by the European followers of Nimrod, in the name of sport. Their numbers, however, do not appear to get much thinned ; they are reported to be very prolific breeders. A friend of mine assured me that he witnessed the gutting of a female that was shot by one of his party on a late excursion, and that she was found to contain six embryo young. This single fact, however, is not sufficient to establish the ordinary gestation of this species ; on the contrary, it was probably an extraordinary case ; but it was the only |