THE TEAK REGIOX. 227 



support the sambar through the hot season. Wherever 

 any of these are plentiful, there the marks of nightly 

 visits by sambar will be found in the morning. But by 

 the earliest break of day the animals will have disap- 

 peared ; and, having drunk well at some neighbourino- 

 water, will probably be well on their way to their restinsj- 

 place for the day. For the next hour or two they are 

 often to be found at a few miles' distance, apparently 

 loitering about, but all the time slowly making their 

 way in a certain direction, higher up the hills and to- 

 wards denser cover, and keeping a heedful watch on 

 possible pursuers. As they penetrate deeper into the 

 waste country their watchfulness diminishes, but they 

 generally take a long and keen survey of all their sur- 

 roundings before lying down for the day. At all times 

 but the rutting season (October and November) the 

 heavy old stags remain mostly solitary, a few youno- 

 animals only remaining with the herd, which consists of 

 ten to fifteen individuals. The old stags usually travel 

 deeper into the forest and higher up the hills before 

 lying down than the herd, which is often found within 

 a mile or so of their feeding ground. In all cases a 

 patch of longish grass is selected, and a regular form 

 like that of a hare is made by each individual. Each 

 form is usually in the shade of a small tree, the side or top 

 of the hill, where grass is long but trees not very 

 numerous or thick, being preferred to very dense thickets ; 

 and it is curious with what skill the spot is selected, 

 so that the deepest shade shall fall on the form at about 

 three o'clock in the afternoon, which is the hottest 

 portion of the day. Hundreds of forms will some- 

 times be found in one locality, every one of them 

 at precisely the same point of the compass from its 



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