THE ASIATIC AND EUROPEAN DEER, Nos. 1-3.
In representatives of the deer, (Family Cervidae), Asia far surpasses all other countries. Her species number about 38,—fully double that of any other continental area,—and from the great Altai wapiti to the tiny musk deer, the variations in size and form are fairly bewildering. The entire hill that rises between the Fordham Entrance and Bird Valley, from Cope Lake to the Zebra Houses, is devoted to the series of houses, corrals and ranges that are occupied by the deer of Asia and Europe.
It is quite certain that a number of desirable species of Asiatic deer can successfully be acclimatized in the parks and game preserves of America, and induced to breed. Almost without an exception they are strong and vigorous feeders, and they keep fat and sleek when our own black-tail, mule deer and white-tail mince like pampered epicures, grow thinner and thinner, and finally die of “malnutrition.”
Believing that the members of the group amply justify the effort, the Zoological Society has been at considerable pains to bring together a fine, representative collection of the Old World Cervidae and properly install its members. Although the series proposed is not quite complete, it contains such rarities as the Altai Wapiti, Barasingha, Burmese Thameng, Malay and Indian Sambar, and several others. They are sheltered by four houses, the largest of which crowns the summit of the hill on the right of Osborn Walk as the visitor enters from Fordham. For the visitors’ convenience we will make note of the various species about in the order of their appearance, and not in zoological sequence.
The Axis Deer, (Axis axis), is the handsomest of all the tropical deer. Indeed, it may even be said to be the only species of the tropics possessing both form and pelage which are alike pleasing to the eye. In contrast with the many beautiful and splendidly colored antelopes of Africa, the deer of the tropics, all round the world, are poorly provided with those characters which make a handsome animal. With the sole exception of the Axis Deer, nearly all the other deer of the East Indies have thin, coarse, dull-colored hair, their antlers are small, and seldom have more than four points. This is equally true of the deer of Mexico, Central and South America. Even our own white-tailed deer, so lusty and fine in the North, becomes in Florida and Texas so dwarfed that it has now been called a subspecies.
Considering the severe plainness of all the other deer in the tropics, it is a little strange that the coat of the Axis should be the most beautiful possessed by any deer. But it is quite true; and apart from the majesty of the elk, there is no more beautiful sight in cervine life than the picture offered by a herd of Axis Deer feeding in a sunlit glade surrounded by forest.
This species adapts itself to out-door life in the temperate zone with surprising readiness, not even second in that respect to the eland. As a matter of course the Axis can not withstand the fierce blizzards of midwinter as do the elk and other northern deer; but a reasonable degree of care in providing it with a dry barn, and shelter from cold winds, enables it to live even as far north as northern Germany with perfect comfort. In winter our Axis Deer barn is moderately heated by a stove.
The Japanese Sika Deer, (Cervus sika typicus), is a small representative of a large group of deer species inhabiting far-eastern Asia, and known as the Sika Deer group. A ridiculous number of forms have been described as species and subspecies, of which possibly one-third are entitled to stand. Some of those on the Asian mainland, as the Pekin Sika Deer, are much larger than the Japanese Sika, and also more strikingly colored. The latter species, shown in our northernmost corral, is about 33 inches in height, and of a dull and uninteresting smoky-brown color. Its antlers are quite large for a deer so small, and in the mating season males are sometimes dangerous. This species is very hardy, breeds persistently, requires no heat in winter, and very rarely sends a case to the hospital.
AXIS DEER.
The Fallow Deer, (Dama vulgaris), is the type of a distinct group of deer which are distinguished by the possession of antlers widely palmated throughout the upper half of the beam. In some old Fallow bucks the antlers are quite moose-like, and give this small deer an imposing appearance far out of proportion to its actual size. The weight of a large buck in prime condition generally is between 180 and 200 pounds, and its shoulder height is between 36 and 40 inches. The largest antlers recorded by Mr. J. G. Millais, in his beautiful work on “The British Deer,” measured 29½ inches in length, 28½ inches spread, width of palmation 8 inches, and the number of points 14. The extinct Irish elk, with the most colossal antlers ever carried by a cervine animal, was a near relative of the two living species of Fallow Deer.
Although a native of northern Africa and the north shore of the Mediterranean, the Fallow Deer was acclimatized in England and northern Europe so long ago that the exact date records of the event have disappeared, and the species is now at home in very many European forests and game preserves. The deer parks in England possess many fine herds, but they sometimes exhibit one unfortunate result of long breeding in a semi-domesticated state—departure from the original type.
The typical Fallow Deer is in winter very dark brown, with light brown legs and under parts, and in summer light red with white spots—quite like the axis. From this standard, the variations run from pure white through the color of the wild type to jet black.
The fine herd in the Zoological Park is the gift of Mr. William Rockefeller. Six of its original members came from the donor’s herd at Greenwich, Connecticut, and six were purchased from one of the imperial parks of Russia, by consent of the Czar, and represent the most hardy stock obtainable.
BURMESE DEER.
The Burmese, or Eld Deer, (Cervus eldi), also known as the Brow-Antler Deer, is one of the rarest species to be seen in captivity. Living specimens are acquired only through special expeditions to northern Burma. Its most characteristic feature is the antlers of the male, which sends forward a very long and almost straight brow tine, while the main beam sweeps backward in the opposite direction, and describes a full semicircle. The antlers are both very heavy and long for the size of the animal. The specimens shown here, which are breeding satisfactorily, are the gift of Mr. William Rockefeller.
The Barasingha Deer, (Cervus duvauceli), also called the Swamp Deer, is to India what the mule deer is to North America. To my mind, the antlers of the former always suggests the latter species, and in size the two species are much alike. In summer the coat of the Barasingha is of a beautiful golden-yellow color, conspicuous from afar, and the antlers of old males reach a length of from 35 to 41 inches, with three bifurcations on each beam. The antlers sometimes are shed and renewed twice in twelve months. With us this species breeds very regularly, and the offspring mature well.
The Altai Wapiti, (Cervus canadensis asiaticus), is, in all probability, the parent stock of our American elk, but it happens to be a fact that our species was the first to be discovered by systematic zoologists, and described. To all visitors who are interested in deer, the Altai Wapiti—and also the Tashkent Wapiti—are a constant source of wonder, because of their well-nigh perfect similarity in all points to our own wapiti, or American elk. Our Asiatic wapiti are exhibited in ranges connecting with the western rooms of the Asiatic Deer House, where they have bred twice, and produced two fine fawns. In the rutting season the males are very cross and dangerous. They are hardy, and require no heat in winter.
The Indian Sambar, (Cervus unicolor), always suggests a tropical understudy of the Altai wapiti, clad with thin, coarse, bristly hair, and with shorter and smaller antlers, and a bristly mane all over the neck. Each antler possesses three points, only. Of all the Old World Cervidae, this species most nearly approaches the size of the Altai and Tashkent wapiti. It inhabits the hill forests of India, and in Burma, Siam and farther south it is replaced by the next species.
The Malay Sambar, (Cervus equinus), also called—most inappropriately—the “Horse-Tailed Deer,” very strongly resembles the preceding species, except that the bristly mane of the former is generally absent. The antlers of this species are shorter, also, but very thick in proportion to their length. The Malay Sambar is confined to the Malay Peninsula and the countries immediately above, and Borneo and Sumatra.
This species possesses many admirable qualities, and it might be introduced to advantage in our southern states. It is very even-tempered and sensible, easily handled, is a vigorous feeder, breeds persistently, and matures very rapidly; but in every New York winter, it requires some heat in its barn.
The Maral Deer, (Cervus maral), is in appearance like an extra large red deer or a small elk. It is a midway member of the Wapiti group, which extends in a somewhat broken chain from Colorado, northward across Bering Strait to Asia, and thence across Asia and Europe to Scotland. We have owned a fine pair of Maral Deer, from the Caucasus district, but they have failed to breed as expected.
The European Red Deer, (Cervus elaphus), is an understudy of the American elk, which it much resembles in form and in habits. Next to the elk it is the finest living deer, and for many generations has held its own against the dangers of in-breeding. In the parks and forest preserves of Great Britain and Europe, it exists abundantly, but only as private property, subject to the guns of the owner and his friends. This species has been successfully crossed with the American elk.
Other Asiatic Deer will be found in the Small-Deer House, in the southern end of the Park.