The Sambar 



THE SAMBAR 



(Cervus unicolo?') 



Native Names. — Sambar or Samar, Hindustani ; 

 Jarao (male), Jural (female), Nepalese ; Maha 

 IN THE Terai ; Meru among the Mahrattas of 

 THE Ghats ; Ma-ao and Mauk of the Gonds ; 

 Saram of the Ho-Kol ; Kadave and Kadaba^ 

 Canarese ; Kennadi, Telegu ; Kadumai, Tamil ; 

 Gona, Rusa, Cingalese ; Gous, Gaoj, and B/iaiongi 

 (female) in Eastern Bengal ; K/iat-k/iowa-pohu, 

 Assamese ; Sacha in the Daphla Hills ; Tshat, 

 Burmese ; Takhau, Hseukhau, and Kheu of the 

 Karens ; Rusa and Rusa-etam^ Malay 



(Plate vi, figs. 4 and 5) 



Despite the comparatively simple form of its antlers, and 

 its somewhat shaggy 

 appearance, the sambar 

 must be reckoned as 

 the finest deer found in 

 India proper. In size 

 and bulk it consider- 

 ably exceeds all the 

 rest ; and for solid mas- 

 siveness its rugged 

 antlers, of which the 

 outer surface presents 

 a curious resemblance 

 to the bark of a wych- 

 elm sapling, are perhaps 

 unsurpassed by those 

 of any other member of 

 the Cervid^. Magni- 

 ficent specimens of 

 these antlers are pre- 

 served in the British 



Museum and in many private collections, the equals of 



223 



Fig. ^6. — Sambar Stag at Woburn Abbey, 

 photographed by the Duchess of Bedford. 



