Game Animals of India, etc. 



equal in length, and when unequal, it is generally the 

 front one which is the shorter of the two, while the 

 hind one springs from the posterior aspect of the beam, 

 and does not form the direct continuation ot the axis of 

 the latter. The space enclosed between the antlers is 

 generally U or V shaped, and the bony pedicles on 

 which they are supported are relatively short. In 

 colour the sambar is usually almost uniform dark 

 umber-brown, but there is a considerable amount of 

 individual variation ; some specimens, especially hinds 

 (which are paler than stags), tending more or less 

 decidedly to greyish or yellowish. Old stags may 

 become almost black ; and in lighter-coloured males 

 the face, mane, and the upper surface of the tail are 

 black or blackish. On the under surface of the body 

 the hair is but little paler than on the back ; but in the 

 stags the chin, the inner portion of the buttocks, the 

 under side of the tail, and the inner surface of the upper 

 part of the limbs are more or less distinctly chestnut ; 

 this colour sometimes extending on to the sides of the 

 buttocks, and occupying the whole of the lower portion 

 of the lesfs. On the head and neck the hairs are 

 uniformly coloured, but those on the hind halt of the 

 body may have yellow tips. Young fawns are uniformly 

 red, without light spots, but apparently with a black 

 tail and a stripe of the same colour down the middle of 

 the back. The broad ears ot the adult are equal to 

 about half the length of the head, which has a nearly 

 straight profile and is of considerable relative length. 



Sambar-anders vary much in length and stoutness, 

 the longer specimens being frequently inferior in girth 

 to shorter examples. Very rarely are there more than the 

 normal three tines to each, although occasionally, as in 

 two examples in the British Museum, a fourth point may 

 be added (see fig. 38). The longest recorded specimen 

 is from Bhopal, and measures 50^ inches, with a basal 

 girth of 9|- inches. Next to this comes a single antler 

 from Khandesh, of which the length is 48 inches, and 



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