84 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



THE MUNTJAC 



(Cenndns muntjac] 



THIS is a curious-looking little Oriental Deer, with short legs and 

 small two-pronged horns seated on long bony pedestals, the bases of 

 which are continued down as ridges on the skull, and show promi- 

 nently under the skin of the face. The buck has the upper canine 

 teeth in the form of short strong tusks. 



The coat is very sleek and of a foxy red, but dark brown and 

 greyish black varieties occur, and sometimes albinos. I once saw a 

 skull of a buck which had an extra little antler growing out of the 

 sides of the horn-pedestals of bone. 



The doe, except for the absence of long tusks, and of the horns 

 and their supports, is very like the buck, and has the same ridges on 

 the face. A marked peculiarity of this animal is its strong gamy 

 scent, and also its note, which is a bark like that of a Fox. Indeed 

 it is often known in India as the " Barking Deer." Another peculi- 

 arity of this animal is the length of its tongue, which can be put out 

 of the mouth far enough for it to lick its face all over with it. It is 

 a forest animal, usually solitary, and very clever at getting quickly 

 through thick cover. When at bay, it relies more on its tusks than 

 on its little horns, and will make a stout defence with them. Its meat 

 is very good venison indeed, which is sufficiently remarkable, seeing 

 that the animal is, in captivity, almost as omnivorous as a Pig, eating 

 cooked meat readily; I have also read of a case in which a buck, 

 which was allowed his liberty, searched for and ate hens' eggs. 



This Deer is found all over India, both in mountains and plains, 

 and ranges east to Borneo ; it does well in captivity in England, and 

 would be an excellent subject for acclimatisation anywhere, being very 

 easy to keep and transport. There are only about half-a-dozen other 

 species of Muntjacs, all from Eastern Asia, and all sufficiently like the 

 common species for their relationship to it to be obvious at sight. 



