THE KANCHIL. 533 



inches high. The hair on the head is of a reddish fawn color, almost 

 black on the top of the skull ; on the back it is brown with a reddish- 

 yellow shade, strongly marked with black along the spine ; the abdomen 

 is white. A white streak runs from the under-jaw to the shoulder, then, 

 lower down, comes a dark streak which divides in the throat, and en- 

 closes another band of white. The limbs are fawn-yellow, the upper 

 arm reddish, the feet dull fawn color. The difference of color is pro- 

 duced by the peculiar coloring of the hairs. On the back they have the 

 lower half white, then bright yellow occurs, while the tips are black. In 

 proportion, therefore, to the degree in which the black pcjints fall off, or 

 as the light ring is more or less prominent, does the general color of the 

 hide differ. The white spots consist of pure white hair. The older 

 males have projecting canine teeth. The hoofs are of light-brown horn. 



Java, Singapore, Penang, and other neighboring islands with the 

 Malay Peninsula are the iiomes of this charming little creature. Allied 

 species represent it in Sumatra, Borneo, and Ceylon. In Java it lives in 

 the hills, rather than in the lowlands, preferring the lower edge of the 

 primaeval forests which cover the hills. There it lurks in the fringe of 

 brushwood, from which it can sally forth and in a few minutes reach the 

 grassy slopes below. It is never seen in herds. During the day it lives 

 retired, reposing and ruminating in the densest thickets. When twilight 

 comes, it sallies forth to browse on leaves, herbs, and berries. Water is 

 indispensable for its existence. 



All the movements of the little animal are extremely graceful and 

 light, and marked with great vivacity. It can take long leaps, and skil- 

 fully avoids all difficulties in its way. But its dehcate limbs soon refuse 

 their office, and it would be easily the prey of its enemies, if it did not 

 possess a peculiar method of defence, which in this country is usually 

 considered to be the especial prerogative of the opossum. When it can. 

 not conceal itself in the underwood, and plainly sees that escape is im- 

 possible, it lies down and pretends to be dead. The hunter stoops to 

 grasp his victim, but before his hand can reach it, the Mouse-deer has 

 made a spring and disappeared like lightning. The natives of Java assert 

 that the male Chevrotain has another way of escaping the attacks of 

 beasts of prey. They say it leaps up in the air and hangs itself by its 

 long canine teeth to a projecting branch! Sir Stamford Raffles tells us 

 that the Javanese can find no better means to describe a consummate 

 trickster, than the words " He is as cunning as a kanchil." 



