190 THE RIFLE AND HOUND FN CEYLON, chap. vm. 



feed the hounds upon venison, but as it costs nothing, 

 it is a cheaper food than beef, and no other flesh is 

 procurable in sufficient quantity. Venison is in its 

 prime when the elk's horns are in velvet. At this 

 season, when the new antlers have almost attained 

 their full growth, they are particularly tender, and the 

 buck moves slowly and cautiously through the jungle, 

 lest he should injure them against the branches, taking 

 no further exercise than is necessary in the search of 

 food. He therefore grows very fat, and is then in fine 

 condition. 



The speed of an elk, although great, cannot be 

 compared to that of the spotted deer. I have seen 

 the latter almost distance the best greyhounds 

 for the first 200 yards, but with this class of dogs the 

 elk has no chance upon fair open ground. Coursing 

 the elk, therefore, is a short-lived sport, as the grey- 

 hounds run into him immediately, and a tremendous 

 struggle then ensues, which must be terminated as soon 

 as possible by the knife, otherwise the dogs would most 

 probably be wounded. I once saw Killbuck perform 

 a wonderful feat in seizing. A buck elk broke cover 

 in the Elk Plains, and I slipped a brace of grey- 

 hounds after him, Killbuck and Bran. The buck- 

 had a start of about 200 yards, but the speed of 

 the greyhounds told rapidly upon him, and after a 

 course of a quarter of a mile, they were at his haunches, 

 Killbuck leading. The next instant he sprang in full 



