110 



Indian woods ? I have always fancied that deer, both of this species 

 and the samber, found where there is much underwood, therefore 

 more secure cover and perhaps richer food, are heavier, better fur- 

 nished in every way and darker in color than those of more open 

 forest. The shape and size of the horns of samber vary much, so 

 does the color, this is allowed by Jerdon at page 257 of his book, 

 and yet he appears to agree with Blyth and Mr. Elliot, in consi- 

 dering these differences to be all varieties of the same species. Be- 

 sides the differences in shape of horn of samber I have seen two 

 hinds almost a light dun in color. The horns of the common an- 

 telope likewise vary much in size and divergence, so also do those 

 and the markings of our domestic cattle whether from Ayr or 

 Devonshire, the Highlands of Scotland or Alderney. 



I argue from these grounds therefore that there are hardly suf- 

 ficient reasons to consider that there are two distinct species of 

 this beautiful deer. 



Spotted deer take readily to water, whether to escape their foes, 

 or to and from their feeding grounds. Substitute for the red deer 

 a spotted stag ; as beautiful, although not so stately an animal, and 

 for the Highland tarn ; a woodland lake among the pestilential but 

 lovely hills of the Golcondah Zemindary, and I saw the story of 

 Landseer's well known picture, " The Sanctuary," acted in the life. 



While after red jungle fowl, Gallus ferrugineus vol. 2, page 

 536, of Jerdon's birds of India, I saw a flock of wild ducks feeding 

 near the edge of a lake and, as I was getting up to them, a spotted 

 stag deliberately cantered down to the opposite beach and swam 

 directly across to where I was concealed, passing through the wild 

 ducks, some rising, others merely paddling out of his way exactly 

 as is represented in the picture. The stag landed, the water rain- 

 ing from his glossy flanks as he shook himself after reaching the 

 shore, and then cantered lazily away. I had left my rifle with an 

 attendant, but all this was so close to me that the shot-gun was 

 more than once brought to bear on the noble beast's head, with an 

 idea that he might be stopped. Had the pellets been No. 3 instead 

 of No. 5, or an Ely's cartridge been in the gun, the trigger would 

 have been pulled with the almost certainty of a kill ; but as it was, 

 I had not heart to mangle or blind the beautiful animal. 



