. Mammals of other lands;. Mammals. CHAPTER XVII THE DEER TRIBE BY H. A. BRYDEN DEER represent as a family the non-domesticated class of ruminants. Generally speaking, the males are distinguished by antlers, which are shed periodically, usually once a year, and again renewed. Comprising as it does some of the noblest mammals to be found on the face of the earth, this large and important tribe is to be found distributed over a large portion of the world's surface, from the Arctic North, the home of the wild reindeer, to Patagonia, in Southern South America. Deer are, however, not found in the c
. Mammals of other lands;. Mammals. CHAPTER XVII THE DEER TRIBE BY H. A. BRYDEN DEER represent as a family the non-domesticated class of ruminants. Generally speaking, the males are distinguished by antlers, which are shed periodically, usually once a year, and again renewed. Comprising as it does some of the noblest mammals to be found on the face of the earth, this large and important tribe is to be found distributed over a large portion of the world's surface, from the Arctic North, the home of the wild reindeer, to Patagonia, in Southern South America. Deer are, however, not found in the continent of Africa south of the Sahara, nor in Madagascar or Australia. They are not indigenous to New Zealand; but the red deer, introduced there some years ago for purposes of sport, have thriven wonderfully well, and are now completely acclimatised. From the earliest times deer, especially those species known as the true or typical deer, of which red deer may be said to be a type, have been animals of considerable importance to mankind. Their flesh has been always eagerly sought after; deer-skin is still, even in these days of high civilisation, useful for many purposes; and the antlers are almost equally in request. It is more than probable that, in the vast and still little- explored regions of Central, East, and Northern Asia, new species of deer remain to be discovered. At the present time there are known to exist, in various parts of the world, close on a hundred species and varieties. Within the space allotted to these animals it is, of course, manifestly impossible to notice all these in anything like detail. Many of the varieties or sub- species closely resemble one another, so much so that the differences between them are only apparent to the eyes of naturalists or acute observers. The Reindeer Reindeer are distinguished from all other kinds of deer by the fact that antlers are borne by both males and females. The. [Dundee Photo iy Valenttne &* Son L d "] S
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Keywords: ., bookauthorco, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectmammals
