113 







" been stated to inhabit South Malabar and Ceylon, but the race 

 " from the latter country differs somewhat and is probably distinct, 

 " and neither Mr. Blyth nor myself have actually seen specimens 

 ** from Malabar, although I was resident in North Malabar for 

 " some time." 



I imagine that Mr. Blyth's and Doctor Jerdon's informants 

 alluded to the little mouse-deer " Memimna indica," No. 225, page 

 269 of Jerdou, which from its peculiar action and color so much 

 resembles a young wild pig, vide page 121 of these notes, that it is 

 often erroneously termed " hog-deer," by the sportsmen of Southern 

 India, and in fact all over the Madras Presidency. 



On the hog-deer being put into the paddock in the People's Park 

 the male was killed by a spotted stag which appropriated the 

 female ; the hybrid fawn just mentioned was the result, and the 

 little hind was in fawn again to the same stag when she died a few 

 weeks ago. The young hybrid, a female I think, is of a darker 

 color than the sire, with fainter spots, carries her head low like 

 her porcine mother, and thus runs with the back apparently much 

 arched, the ears struck me as being larger than those of a spotted 

 fawn of about the same age or size. It will be interesting to note, 

 whether this little hybrid will continue to interbreed with her 

 spotted relations. 



The hog-deer when in proper condition affords excellent venison, 

 and when I first knew Shuaygheen on the Sittang river in Pegu, 

 a place where mutton was not to be had, this venison and that of 

 sambcr and perhaps that of the brow-antlered rusa under the name 

 of samber, were almost the only changes from the daily ration 

 beef, or fowls, our caterer could procure for the little detachment 

 mess which we established in the pretty, but unhealthy stockade 

 in which we were quartered. When in long grass, hog-deer 

 appear to squat as closely as a hare does. While snipe or jungle- 

 fowl shooting in Burmah, I have on different occasions walked 

 almost on to hog-deer; which must have heard me firing near them 

 without moving from their forms until they could not avoid 

 doing so. 



When hunting is introduced into Burmah, as I feel sure it will 

 be, ere many years, these deer will, I doubt not, give many a run 

 before mounted spcarsmen and greyhounds. 



