THE RED DEER
Cervus elaphus, Linnaeus.
Cervus elaphus, Linn. ‘ Syst. Nat.’ 12th ed. vol. i. p. 93 (1766).
Cervus elaphus corsicanus, Erxleben, ‘ S y s t Regn. Animal.’ vol. i. p. 304 (1777).
Cervus elaphus germanicus, Desmarest, ‘ Mammalogie,’ vol. ii. p. 434 (1822).
Cervus barbarus, Bennett, ‘ List Anim. Gardens Zool. Soc.’ p. 31 (1837).
Cervus maral, Ogilby, ‘ Rep. Council Zool. Soc.’ p. 22 (1840).
Strongyloceros speleeus, Owen, ‘ B r it Foss. Mamm. and Birds,’ p. 469 (1846).
Local Names: H a rt, Stag (adult male), H in d (female), C a lf (first-year), P rick et, Knobber,
Knobbler (second-year male), B rocket (third-year male), Staggard, Staggart (fourth-year
male), R oy al or R oy al H a rt (twelve-point male), Im p eria l (fourteen-points and over),
H ev ier or H a vier (castrated stag), Y e ld H in d (barren female), Eng lish; E lid ,
M arlag, M aviseack, A d h (hind), Mang (young deer), Croichdeach, Damh dearg, Cabrach
nan croc (stag) (Gaelic); Carw (stag), Hydd’ Ew ig (hind), E la in (calf) (Welsh);
Caran (Cornish).
Characters.— The general colour of the Red Deer in summer is reddish
brown, the pelage being short and glossy, while in winter the hair is greyish
brown, long and rough. By the month of May the whole of the old bristly hairs
become very grey, and the coat is then shed, the animal generally effecting this
by rolling in muddy or peaty holes. The neck is long, and the tail short; the
limbs are slender, and the ears long and pointed. The hair of the back is long
and coarse, but not to such a degree as the hair of the neck, which in Highland
stags is very long, giving the animal a noble appearance. The caudal disc is pale
straw colour, passing into white on the inner sides of the thighs. It is bordered
by broad black bands, and in some examples a blackish band runs from the
withers to the tail along the dorsal ridge. The face, throat, and under parts are
of a dull grey. The iris is straw-coloured or brown according to whether the
animal is light or dark.
Height of male at withers from 42 to 52 inches. Length from nose to end
of tail 66 to 80 inches.1
1 The following are some measurements of a large Scotch Stag introduced early in life into an English Park (Waraham).
They were taken immediately after the animal was shot, August 28, 1897. Length from nose to end of tail, 80 inches;