CHAPTER XII 



THE CEYLON ELK 



THIS grand deer, the Cervus unicolor, is found in India and 

 most other Oriental countries. In India it is known as the 

 sambhar, and in Ceylon it is called the elk. This is, of 

 course, a misnomer, as it is not an elk, but as most animals 

 are misnamed in Ceylon, and as the names have obtained 

 practically ever since the English occupation of the island, 

 I see no reason to alter the generally accepted nomenclature 

 in this case. 



The buck elk is a strikingly fine specimen of the deer 

 tribe, and his somewhat shaggy appearance gives one the 

 impression that he would look more at home in a North 

 American forest than in a tropical country like Ceylon. 



A good buck stands from 13 to 14 hands in height at 

 the shoulder, and, according to Sir Samuel Baker, a low- 

 country buck will weigh as much as 600 Ibs., the moun- 

 tain elk being somewhat smaller. 



The usual colour of a buck is dark brown throughout, 

 though very old bucks become almost a blacky-grey. The 

 body colour is darkest on the back and upper portions, 

 growing lighter on the belly and insides of the limbs. The 

 buck carries a stiff coarse mane on the neck and under the 

 throat. The whole fur is very coarse, so that the skin 

 makes a poor trophy. 



The females are smaller than the males, and are, as a 

 rule, somewhat grey-brown in colour. 



Elk hide is much used in Ceylon for shoe-making, as it 



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