458 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE AXD PRODUCTIONS. 



breed a second time in eighteen niontlis after biinging forth, so that tlic young of two 

 seasons are not unfrequentlv seen with tlicir parents, i'emalcs produce but one at a. 

 birth, and the young are spotted or nienilled, but this disappears with ago. In the 

 second year the males first begin to acquire horns, which are perfectly developed in 

 March, and shed about September. After two years they got two tines, and when 

 about seven years old are in their prime, -with twelve tines, including the brow antler. 

 The average weight of the buck is about 190 lbs. 



" Their habitat and range, according to Mr. Davis, are as follows : In the Martaban 

 District they inhabit exclusively the open grassy plains between the sea and the 

 mountains. In the Pegu plains they arc perhaps more abundant than in any other 

 part of Eurmah ; next to them the Yengyaing plain in Martaban produces most ; 

 near Eangoon they are found in the Dallali plain. About Pegu and Yengyaing they 

 are found in herds from fifty to a hundred in the month of March, but wlun 

 hunted, they congregate much more, and as many as two hundred may then be 

 seen together. In habits they are essentially gregarious, and associate with no 

 other species, although hog deer abound in the grass and jungle along the edges 

 of the plain ; nor ■will they allow the tame bufi^aloes to come nearer to them than 

 about 100 yards. In habits they are very wary and difficult of approach, especially 

 the males ; they are also very timid, and easily startled. The males, however, 

 when wounded and brought to bay with dogs, get very savage, and charge vigorously. 

 On being disturbed, they invariably make for the open, instead of resorting to the 

 heavy jungles like hog deer and Sambur. In fact, the Tliamen is essentially a plain 

 loving species, and although it will frequent tolerably open tree jungle, for the 

 sake of its shade, will never venture into any composed of dense or matted under- 

 wood, i.e. bush jungle in contradistinction to 'tree jungle.' Indeed I was credibly 

 informed of a large stag which, being driven into a corner of the plain last j'ear, by 

 herd boys, with pariah dogs, and finding no means of escape, took refuge in heavy 

 jungle, where its horns got entangled iu a hibiscus bush, and so was actually captured 

 aHve. 



" When first startled, their pace is great. They commence by giving three or 

 four large bounds like the axis or spotted deer, and afterwards settle down into 

 a long trot, which they will keep up for six or seven miles on end where fi'equently 

 disturbed. This is when the vegetation on the plain is comparatively short. Iu 

 the rains they do not go far before they find a hiding-place in the long paddy. 

 Their powers of leaping are highly developed. On the Yengyaing plain alone there 

 are at the present time about a thousand head ; on the Thatong plain, a little further 

 to the north-west, perhaps a hundred head only, which go about in small herds 

 of seven or eight. 



" An intelligent BuiTuesc shikarrce (hunter) told me that in former years, before 

 Martaban was taken by the British, the ' Thamen ' were much more abundant than 

 they are now, and the natives used to destroy them wholesale at battues : a lai'ge 

 number of men would assemble from the surrounding villages and gradually encircle 

 three or four moderately sized herds with long strings, upon which plantain leaves 

 were tied so as to flutter in the wind. The circle originally formed at some distance 

 was gradually lessened, as the deer, afraid to pass the scarecrows, got gradually 

 driven together, until they were completely surrounded and at the mercy of the 

 hunters. The object was to get them into a corner near the heavy jungle, into 

 which if they attempted to run, they either became entangled or allowed their 

 pursuers to get up quite close. My informant tells mc that, in former years, he 

 has himself seen as many as 150 to 200 killed in one battue. To such a length 

 was this system carried, and such enormous havoc thereby created, that the Burmese 

 Government, fearing that the species would be utterly exterminated, wisely put 

 a .stop to the practice. This shikaiTee informed me that five-and-twenty years ago 

 he has seen as many as five hundred head in one herd, and his account was confirmed 

 by others." 



Ceevuitis, Blainville. 



Horns raised on bony pedicles, covered with hair. Large upper canines in both 

 sexes. Two conspicuous longitudinal facial folds. Eye pits large and mobile. 



