The Deer constitute a numerous and beautiful group of Ruminants, which are readily distinguished1 by the graceful2 symmetry of their form, by their long and slender, but firm and sinewy3, legs, by their broad and pointed4 ears, and by the comparative shortness of their tails; but more especially by the generally large and branching horns which ornament5 the heads of the males. Like all the ruminating6 animals, with the exception of those mentioned in the preceding article, they are furnished with eight cutting-teeth in the lower jaw7, opposed to a callous8 and toothless surface in the upper; and with expanded, flat, and deeply bifurcated9 hoofs10, constituting[186] two distinct and apparent toes, above which they have also the rudiments11 of two others. Some of the species have canine12 teeth in the upper jaw, generally in the males alone; and they have all six molars on each side. In the greater number of them the nostrils13 are surrounded by a naked muzzle14; and most of them are also provided with a sinus or sac, of greater or less extent, immediately beneath the inner angle of the eye, called the sub-orbital sinus, the larmier of the French zoologists15.
The horns, which form the most distinguishing character of the genus, are perfectly16 solid throughout their whole extent. Their form varies very considerably17 in the different races; but they are constantly uniform in the same species, unless accidentally or artificially perverted18 from their natural growth. In some they are simple at the base and terminate in a broad and palmate expansion, which is variously lobed19 and divided; in others they are more or less branched, giving off antlers in different directions; and in some few they are short and nearly simple. They fall off and are renewed annually20 in all the species which inhabit the northern and temperate21 regions of the earth, and in those in which they attain22 any considerable size; but Sir T. Stamford Raffles23 was of opinion, and his opinion has been in some measure confirmed by the observations of Major C. Hamilton Smith, that several of the tropical species with small and nearly simple horns are exempted24 from this general law. The horns are smaller and less developed in the young than in the full grown and adult animal, and diminish again in size, and frequently become irregular, as he advances in age. In one species alone, the Rein-Deer of the North, the female wears the[187] same palmy honours with the male; but they do not in her reach the same enormous extent.
The high degree of domestication25 to which this latter species has been brought, and the invaluable26 services which it renders to the Laplander, added to the tranquil27 content which most of the deer manifest in a state of captivity28, afford sufficient proofs that there is nothing in the constitution of the group repugnant to their being tamed and familiarized with man; but from none of the other races have any real or essential advantages been as yet derived29. The quiet confidence, mixed with a certain air of cautious timidity, which they exhibit in their half-restricted state, in the park or the chase, where they are kept more for ornament than use, is perfectly indicative of their general character. But the very mildness of their disposition30 has been turned to their disadvantage, and one of the gentlest of animals, because endowed by nature with a high degree of fleetness, with some sagacity, and with a certain share of timidity, has been marked out by man as the chosen victim of his cruelty, disguised under the captivating name of sport.
The Samboo Deer, as the present species is called by his keepers, belongs to the Rusa group, which are distinguished from the rest of the genus by their horns being provided with a single antler at the base, and with a lateral31 snag which forms a kind of bifurcation towards the extremity32. They are usually of large stature33 and nearly uniform colours, and are, for the most part, furnished with a rough and shaggy mane, a broad and expanded muzzle, and sub-orbital openings of considerable size. The handsome Stag now before us is dark cinereous brown above, nearly black on the throat and[188] breast, and light fawn35, intermixed with dirty white, on the inside of the limbs. His eyes are surrounded by a fawn-coloured disc, and patches of the same colour occupy the fore34 knees, and a space above each of the hoofs in front. His nose, which is black, is enveloped36 in an extensive muzzle; his ears are nearly naked on the inside, and marked by a patch of dirty white at the base externally; and his mane, which spreads downwards37 over the neck and throat, is remarkably38 thick and heavy. His tail is black above, and light fawn beneath; and a disc of the latter colour occupies the posterior part of the buttocks, having on each side a blackish line which separates it from the lighter39 tinge40 of the inside of the thighs41. His horns, when properly grown, consist of a broad burr, from which the pointed basal antler rises almost perpendicularly42 to the extent of nine or ten inches; of a stem, which is first directed outwards43, and then forms a bold curve inwards; and of a snag, or second antler of smaller size, arising from the stem near its extremity on the posterior and internal side, and forming with it a terminal fork, the branch however being shorter than the stem, and not exceeding five or six inches in length. The entire length of the horns is about two feet; they are of a dark colour, very strong, and deeply furrowed44 throughout.
The foregoing description of the horns, it should be observed, is taken from those of the year before last, which were of the genuine or normal form. Those of the last year, which are represented in the cut prefixed, were from some cause or other remarkably different, that of the right side especially exhibiting a singular monstrosity in the production of additional branches of[189] irregular form. Whether this was the effect of disease or of advancing age, or whether it arose solely45 from some temporary and accidental cause, will probably be determined46 by the growth of the present year, which is not yet sufficiently47 advanced to enable us to ascertain48 its probable form.
With regard to the sub-orbital sinus, which in this and all the neighbouring species is of very considerable size, its uses are evidently connected with the function of respiration49, and probably also with the sense of smell. It is denoted externally by a longitudinal fissure50, placed beneath the inner angle of each of the eyes, and leading into a sac or cavity, which in some cases communicates internally with the nose; and its inner surface is lined by a membrane51 abundantly supplied with follicles for the secretion52 of mucus, which is sometimes produced in very large quantities. This latter circumstance has induced some naturalists53 to regard these openings as mere54 cuticular55 appendages56. That they really, in some species at least, communicate with the nostrils, is proved by the observations of Mr. White of Selbourne, who states that in consequence of this communication the Fallow-Deer are enabled to take long-continued draughts57 with their noses deeply immersed in the water, the air in the mean time passing through the sub-orbital slits58. So singular a statement was naturally enough doubted and called in question; but it has never, so far as we know, been impugned59 on ocular testimony60; while it has received the fullest confirmation61 from other observations made upon the very species now under consideration, in which the air passing from the sub-orbital sinus, while the animal drinks, may be felt by the hand, and even[190] affects the flame of a candle. Another proof of the connexion of these cavities with the nose is derived from the fact that the animals which are provided with them frequently apply their orifices, equally with those of the nostrils, to the food which they are about to take, opening and shutting them with great rapidity.
The subject of the present article, which, like all the rest of the minor62 group of which he forms a part, is a native of India and of the Indian Islands, was a present to his Majesty63, who kept him for some time, in company with another of the same species, at large in the great park at Windsor. As both, however, happened to be males, they disagreed so violently, and their quarrels at length rose to such a pitch, that in order to preserve peace it was found absolutely necessary to separate them; and our animal, as the most outrageous64 of the two, was dismissed the royal service, and condemned65 to the captivity of the Tower. Since this period he has become exceedingly tame, the cause of his former ill temper being removed, and demeans himself as quietly as the most harmless and gentlest of his tribe.
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1 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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2 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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3 sinewy | |
adj.多腱的,强壮有力的 | |
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4 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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5 ornament | |
v.装饰,美化;n.装饰,装饰物 | |
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6 ruminating | |
v.沉思( ruminate的现在分词 );反复考虑;反刍;倒嚼 | |
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7 jaw | |
n.颚,颌,说教,流言蜚语;v.喋喋不休,教训 | |
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8 callous | |
adj.无情的,冷淡的,硬结的,起老茧的 | |
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9 bifurcated | |
a.分为两部分 | |
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10 hoofs | |
n.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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11 rudiments | |
n.基础知识,入门 | |
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12 canine | |
adj.犬的,犬科的 | |
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13 nostrils | |
鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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14 muzzle | |
n.鼻口部;口套;枪(炮)口;vt.使缄默 | |
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15 zoologists | |
动物学家( zoologist的名词复数 ) | |
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16 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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17 considerably | |
adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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18 perverted | |
adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 );腐蚀;败坏;使堕落 | |
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19 lobed | |
adj.浅裂的,叶状的 | |
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20 annually | |
adv.一年一次,每年 | |
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21 temperate | |
adj.温和的,温带的,自我克制的,不过分的 | |
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22 attain | |
vt.达到,获得,完成 | |
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23 raffles | |
n.抽彩售物( raffle的名词复数 )v.以抽彩方式售(物)( raffle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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24 exempted | |
使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25 domestication | |
n.驯养,驯化 | |
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26 invaluable | |
adj.无价的,非常宝贵的,极为贵重的 | |
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27 tranquil | |
adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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28 captivity | |
n.囚禁;被俘;束缚 | |
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29 derived | |
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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30 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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31 lateral | |
adj.侧面的,旁边的 | |
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32 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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33 stature | |
n.(高度)水平,(高度)境界,身高,身材 | |
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34 fore | |
adv.在前面;adj.先前的;在前部的;n.前部 | |
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35 fawn | |
n.未满周岁的小鹿;v.巴结,奉承 | |
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36 enveloped | |
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37 downwards | |
adj./adv.向下的(地),下行的(地) | |
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38 remarkably | |
ad.不同寻常地,相当地 | |
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39 lighter | |
n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级 | |
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40 tinge | |
vt.(较淡)着色于,染色;使带有…气息;n.淡淡色彩,些微的气息 | |
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41 thighs | |
n.股,大腿( thigh的名词复数 );食用的鸡(等的)腿 | |
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42 perpendicularly | |
adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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43 outwards | |
adj.外面的,公开的,向外的;adv.向外;n.外形 | |
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44 furrowed | |
v.犁田,开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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46 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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47 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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48 ascertain | |
vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清 | |
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49 respiration | |
n.呼吸作用;一次呼吸;植物光合作用 | |
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50 fissure | |
n.裂缝;裂伤 | |
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51 membrane | |
n.薄膜,膜皮,羊皮纸 | |
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52 secretion | |
n.分泌 | |
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53 naturalists | |
n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 );(文学艺术的)自然主义者 | |
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54 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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55 cuticular | |
adj.表皮的 | |
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56 appendages | |
n.附属物( appendage的名词复数 );依附的人;附属器官;附属肢体(如臂、腿、尾等) | |
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57 draughts | |
n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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58 slits | |
n.狭长的口子,裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开,撕开( slit的第三人称单数 );在…上开狭长口子 | |
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59 impugned | |
v.非难,指谪( impugn的过去式和过去分词 );对…有怀疑 | |
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60 testimony | |
n.证词;见证,证明 | |
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61 confirmation | |
n.证实,确认,批准 | |
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62 minor | |
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修 | |
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63 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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64 outrageous | |
adj.无理的,令人不能容忍的 | |
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65 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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