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Bible Encyclopedias
Fallow-Deer
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
or FALLOW-DEER (that is, DUN Deer, in contradistinction to the red deer, Cervus [Dama] dama ), a medium-sized representative of the family Cervidae, characterized by its expanded or palmated antlers, which generally have no bez-tine, rather long tail (black above and white below), and a coat spotted with white in summer but uniformly coloured in winter. The shoulder height is about 3 ft. The species is semi-domesticated in British parks, and occurs wild in western Asia, North Africa, the south of Europe and Sardinia. In prehistoric times it occurred throughout northern and central Europe. One park-breed has no spots. Bucks and does live apart except during the pairingseason; and the doe produces one or two, and sometimes three fawns at a birth. These deer are particularly fond of horsechestnuts, which the stags are said to endeavour to procure by striking at the branches with their antlers. The Persian fallowdeer ( C. [D.] mesopotamicus ), a native of the mountains of Luristan, is larger than the typical species, and has a brighter coat, differing in some details of colouring. The antlers have the trez-tine near the small brow-tine, and the palmation beginning near the former. Here may be mentioned the gigantic fossil deer commonly known as the Irish elk, which is perhaps a giant type of fallow-deer, and if so should be known as Cervus (Dama) giganteus. If a distinct type, its title should be C. ( Megaceros) giganteus. This deer inhabited Ireland, Great Britain, central and northern Europe, and western Asia in Pleistocene and prehistoric times; and must have stood 6 ft. high at the shoulder. The antlers are greatly palmated and of enormous size, fine specimens measuring as much as 11 ft. between the tips.
These files are public domain.
Chisholm, Hugh, General Editor. Entry for 'Fallow-Deer'. 1911 Encyclopedia Britanica. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/bri/f/fallow-deer.html. 1910.
