HUNTING & SHOOTING IN CEYLON 



to the best of my knowledge, by any owner of elk 

 hounds. 



And after all, why should not hinds be killed where 

 the stock of deer is more than ample for futurity. 



They often give a better run than a stag, who, in the 

 courage of his staghood, has stood to fight when flight 

 were wiser. 



A hind at bay will use her feet in fighting with deadly 

 activity and force, and as for cunning in eluding pursuit, 

 she has as many dodges and devices as the stag. I have 

 on several occasions seen a hunted hind break cover and 

 run ' down towards a well-known pool, and then run a 

 perfect loop of 30 or 40 yards diameter, cross her own 

 line, and re-enter the forest. Hounds have flashed out 

 on her line, and, as instinct and experience tell them, have 

 wasted many valuable minutes in searching the pool along 

 and under its banks. Nineteen out of twenty elks would 

 have jumped straight into the pool. I have seen a hind 

 sink herself in a narrow sluggish stream, with only her 

 nostrils above water, whilst a pack of hounds and half-a- 

 dozen men have walked up and down both banks without 

 detecting her. Many a shrewd kick, too, have I had from 

 a hind at bay both on land and in water. 



A hunted stag is credited with a vast amount of 

 cunning when running before hounds. 



The number of hinds the rascal " kicks up " is beyond 

 belief, and we have it on good authority that the Exmoor 

 stag has no more morals in this respect than his Oriental 

 relative. 



There can be no doubt that an old stag will frequently 

 change hounds on to a hind by cunning devices of his 

 own. He will run into a portion of the forest where he 

 knows his harem are wont to sleep off the effects of their 



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