234 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



have never seen a larger head altogether than this in 

 Central India. It is figured at the end of the present 

 chapter. The horns of sambar vary greatly in 

 development, some being very massive but short, and 

 others very long but slender. Really good heads every 

 way like this one are the rare exception, and would not 

 be seen once out of perhaps fifty animals shot. About 

 thirty to thirty-five inches is the average length of the 

 horns even of mature stags. Occasionally more than 

 three tines are seen on one or both antlers ; but this is 

 ^n abnormal development, and such heads will generally 

 be found of stunted growth and devoid of symmetry. 

 Sometimes the inner and sometimes the outer tine of 

 the terminal fork will be found the longer. 



I have taken much pains to assure mj^self of a fact, 

 of which I am now perfectly convinced, namely, that, 

 neither in the case of the sambar nor the spotted deer 

 {both belonging to the Asiatic group of Rusinse as 

 distinguished from the Cervidse or true stags), are the 

 antlers regularly shed every year in these Central Indian 

 forests, as is the case with the Cervidse in cold climates.* 

 No native shikari, who is engaged all his life in the 

 pursuit of these animals, will allow such to be the case ; 

 and all sportsmen out at that season must have seen 

 stags with full-grown horns during the hot weather and 

 rains, when they are supposed to have shed them. 

 Hornless stags are seen at that season, but the great 



* Probably on the higher hill ranges they shed them more regu- 

 larly ; on the Nilgherry hills I saw a number of stags in the month of 

 July, and none of them had full-grown horns, I may add here that 

 but one species of this deer is now recognised as inhabiting all India, 

 including the Gerow of the Himalayas, and that I believe, after 

 inspecting large collections of horns, etc., it nowhere attains greater 

 development than in Central India. 



