n6 Deer of the River Bottoms. 



about being seen, and indeed rather court observation, 

 while the chief anxiety of a white-tail is to go unob- 

 served. In passing through a country where there are 

 antelope, it is almost impossible not to see them ; while 

 where there are an equal number of white-tail, the odds are 

 manifold against travellers catching a glimpse of a single 

 individual. The prong-horn is perfectly indifferent as to 

 whether the pursuer sees him, so long as in his turn he 

 is able to see the pursuer ; and he relies entirely upon 

 his speed and wariness for his safety ; he never trusts 

 for a moment to eluding observation. White-tail on the 

 contrary rely almost exclusively either upon lying per- 

 fectly still and letting the danger pass by, or else upon 

 skulking off so slyly as to be unobserved ; it is only 

 when hard pressed or suddenly startled that they bound 

 boldly and freely away. 



In many of the dense jungles without any opening 

 the brush is higher than a man's head, and one has 

 then practically no chance at all of getting a shot on 

 foot when crossing through such places. But I have 

 known instances where a man had himself driven in a 

 tall light wagon through a place like this, and got 

 several snap shots at the deer, as he caught momentary 

 glimpses of them stealing off through the underbrush ; 

 and another method of pursuit in these jungles is occa- 

 sionally followed by one of my foremen, who, mounted 

 on a quiet horse, which will stand fire, pushes through 

 the bushes and now and then gets a quick shot at a 

 deer from horseback. I have tried this method myself, 

 but without success, for though my hunting-horse, old 



