THE DAM A 173 



again pauses. Each time it takes a short 

 run, it lowers its head, so that the body 

 becomes parallel with the ground, but at 

 each halt, it stands erect, keenly alert and 

 watchful. 



The Dama has a peculiar way of its own 

 in looking for food. It does not catch 

 insects while on the wing, nor does it pick 

 them off from trees. If it happens to detect 

 any quarry from a distance, it betrays no 

 hasty eagerness by immediately running to 

 pick it up. Sedately and leisurely it hops 

 up to the object, and pauses as if to study 

 its entomological qualities. After some 

 time the object of curiosity is picked up and 

 despatched. As a rule, it searches for 

 insects on the ground among withered 

 leaves, every one of which is assiduously 

 turned over with its beak. In thickets or 

 shrubs, it carries on its untiring search in a 

 quiet fashion, — insects and small worms 

 being the objects of special attention, 

 though tiny berries are not neglected. It 

 has also a habit of diorging for worms into 



