Quadrupeds, What They Are and Where Found: A Book of Zoology for BoysReid, Mayne
Science
Quadrupeds, What They Are and Where Found: A Book of Zoology for Boys
Reid, Mayne
Mammals
The _Roebuck_, another species of our parks, is indigenous to both
England and Scotland. It is now found plentiful only in the northern
parts of Great Britain. It is a native also of Italy, Sweden, Norway,
and Siberia.
The _African Deer_ consist of two species, supposed to be varieties of
red deer. They are found in Barbary, and usually known as the Barbary
Deer. But the fallow-deer also exists in North Africa, in the woods of
Tunis and Algiers; and Cuvier has asserted that the fallow-deer
originally came from Africa. This is not probable, since they are at
present met with over the whole continent of Asia, even in China itself.
We now arrive at the species more especially termed _Asiatic_ or _Indian
Beer_. These form a numerous group, containing species that differ
essentially from each other.
There is the _Ritsa_, or Great Black Stag of the Japanese and Sumatrans.
It is named _black_ stag, from its dark brown colour during winter. It
is fully as large as our own stag; and is further distinguished by long
hair growing upon the upper part of its neck, cheeks, and throat, which
gives it the appearance of having a beard and mane! It inhabits Bengal,
and some of the large Indian islands.
The _Samboo_, or _Sambur_, is another large species, not unlike the
rusa. It is found in various parts of India, and especially in the
tropical island of Ceylon. Several varieties of it have been described
by naturalists.
In the Himalaya Mountains there exist two or three species of large
deer, not very well-known. One is the Saul Forest Stag, or Bara-singa--
a species almost as large as the Canadian wapiti. Another is the Marl,
or Wallich's Stag, which is also found in Persia. Still another
species, the Sika, inhabits Japan; and yet another, the Baringa, or
Spotted Deer of the Sunderbunds, dwells along the marshy rivers of this
last-mentioned territory. Again, there is the Spotted Rusa, and other
species, inhabitants of the Saul Forests. In fact, the number of
species of Indian deer is far from being accurately ascertained, to say
nothing of the very imperfect descriptions given of those that are
actually known.
When we come to the great Oriental islands--the Isles of Ind--we find
many new and beautiful species; some being large noble stags, while
others are tiny graceful little creatures like gazelles.
In Sumatra and Borneo we have a distinct species of Sambur Deer; in
Timor a smaller one; a third exists in Java; and a fourth in the
Philippines. In Java, too, we find the beautiful little Muntjak; and
another tiny variety in China, called the Chinese Muntjak.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account