The Descent of Man

the female), to species in which neither the old
nor the young are spotted. I will specify some
of the steps in this series. The Mantchurian deer
(Cervus mantchuricus) is spotted during the
whole year, but, as I have seen in the Zoological
Gardens, the spots are much plainer during the
summer, when the general colour of the coat is
lighter, than during the winter, when the general
colour is darker and the horns are fully developed.
In the hog-deer (Hyelaphus porcinus)
the spots are extremely conspicuous during the
summer when the coat is reddish-brown, but
quite disappear during the winter when the
coat is brown. (41. Dr. Gray, 'Gleanings from
the Menagerie of Knowsley,' p. 64. Mr. Blyth, in
speaking ('Land and Water,' 1869, p. 42) of the
hog-deer of Ceylon, says it is more brightly
spotted with white than the common hog-deer,
at the season when it renews its horns.) In both
these species the young are spotted. In the Virginian
deer the young are likewise spotted, and
about five per cent. of the adult animals living