172 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



cover is sufficient to hold River Deer, and though it is not 

 averse to water and swamps it prefers the drier land afforded 

 by any rising ground. In winter an ideal spot in which 

 to find this animal is long grass on rising ground near to 

 reed-clad marshes. When the cover is mostly cut (mid- 

 winter) it will be found in open fields lying in the furrows 

 and hollows. 



Small shot is usually recommended as sufficient to kill 

 this deer, and so it is at 15 to 20 yards. A charge of No. 8 

 shot will kill almost any thin-skinned animal a few yards from 

 the muzzle of the gun if it happens to strike a vital spot. A 

 famous big-game shot (the late Mr. H. C. Syers) once killed 

 a Black Panther with a charge of No, 9's when returning at 

 dusk from snipe-shooting. It was a snap-shot at something 

 which crossed the path and entered the brush immediately 

 in front of him. The next day, when he discovered what 

 animal he had shot, he realized the foolishness of his action 

 and the terrible danger it might have involved him in. But 

 this by the way. No danger is to be apprehended from a 

 River Deer, wounded or otherwise, though it is courageous 

 in its own way. I have seen one beat off and wound a Pointer 

 dog almost its own size. There is certainly no sport in killing 

 deer at 15 to 25 yards. Beyond this distance no true sports- 

 man would fire using small shot on the offchance of bringing 

 the animal down. The sportsman is out to kUl mercifully and 

 not to maim game. 



The only time I have really hunted River Deer was during 

 the winter of 1907-8. Mr. Zappey wanted specimens, and 

 we made a trip down river below Shasi in quest of them. In 

 this flat country a rifle is out of the question, otherwise some 

 excellent sport could be enjoyed. Using B.B. shot we had 

 good sport, bagging every deer but one we fired at. We had 

 men to beat the likely places and to drive the deer across. 

 Most of the bag were killed at about 40 yards, but several 

 fell at over 55 yards and one at 74 yards. Two or three of 

 them shot square throiTgh the heart ran 50 to 100 yards before 

 they dropped dead in their tracks. 



We limited ourselves to 20, but could have killed many 

 more had we been so minded ; our best day was 9. A couple 



