192 THE IMAGE OF WAE 



and usually goes to ground in the first hundred yards. 

 Tommy Atkins, who is addicted to whippets and 

 similar lurchers, invariably digs her out on these 

 occasions, and thus secures half a dozen hares on 

 most of his " hunting days." I may here remark 

 that I have known our English hare to go to ground 

 when pressed. On October 2, 1888, I saw this 

 happen with the Quarme Harriers in Devonshire. 

 In England, however, it is at least as rare as a 

 fox taking to a tree, whereas in India it is the 

 rule. 



The Ceylon hare [L. nigricollis), on the contrary, 

 never goes to ground. Though not possessing the 

 speed or stoutness of the European variety, it makes 

 a good fight for its life before a pack of harriers. 

 This hare, undoubtedly, is a scavenger, and I am 

 inclined to suspect the Indian hare of the same habit. 

 Indeed, I am doubtful if any species of hare can claim 

 entire acquittal on this charge. The Mosaic law is 

 otherwise justified with regard to prohibited flesh — 

 therefore should we suppose that one animal only, 

 which is really a clean feeder, appears on the black 

 list ? 



With regard to the deer tribe, I have no experience 

 of hunting any of them with hounds in India, but 

 in Ceylon the sambar is regularly hunted with fox- 

 hounds. With this exception, the only deer I have 

 seen hunted is the muntjac. When hunted, their run 

 is very similar to that of the roe-deer, and they rarely 

 leave the covert. 



The sambar is larger than the Exmoor red-deer, 

 and chocolate -brown in colour. The horns, which 

 carry six points, are much finer in the Indian stags 

 than those of Ceylon. It would, I think, be possible 



