156 METHOD OF DECOYING HOG-DEEE. 



his toe or finger, which when game appears is 

 pulled by a Shikaree outside, and he is instantly 

 on the alert and fires at the animal. Some- 

 times (according to Shikaree rumour) the lady 

 takes a shot, and the Ali Surkars are said to 

 be excellent markswomen. If the night be 

 dark, a blazing fire is kept alight at some 

 distance, so that any animals may be distinctly 

 visible on passing before the flame. 



The Meer in the rutting season sometimes 

 stations himself just outside a Moohary, or 

 jungle preserve, and applies a kind of call to 

 his lips, the sound whereof resembles the cry 

 of the female Para, or hog-deer, when wishing 

 for her lord. All the males that hear the 

 sound hasten in high excitement toward the 

 spot whence it issued, perfectly unsuspicious 

 and regardless of the danger that awaits them. 

 In this manner the largest male Paras are 

 killed; but I must confess that I consider the 

 device as most poacher-lilve, and unworthy of 

 a fair sportsman, and, generally speaking, the 

 Meer is a very fair sportsman ; though no 

 Ryot in his dominions labom'S more systematic- 

 ally and unremittingly for his daily bread 

 than does His Highness Meer Ali Moorad for 



