Jungle By-Ways in India 



is turned to stone. Like statues they will stand for 

 minutes together in this alert manner. Suddenly 

 one emits a startled hoarse croak, round they 

 swing, and the herd melts away like the fall of 

 autumn leaves. Occasionally a barasingha stag 

 will stand his ground until the herd has almost 

 disappeared ; but this is rarely the case with the 

 chitul stag. He generally leads the van in a 

 sudden retreat. 



No beautiful springy bounds are to be seen such 

 as those marvellous little animals, the black buck, 

 present to your incredulous eyes when they move 

 off, although both barasingha and chitul does do 

 jump a bit, especially when retreating in long 

 grass, so as to be able to see about them. 



It is astonishing, too, what bounds the heavy 

 barasingha and the lighter-built chitul stags, with 

 their heavy heads of antlers, can compass when 

 they try. 



A barasingha stag in good condition weighs 

 on an average 32 stone, whilst anything measuring 

 35 inches and above is considered a good head. 

 The horns are smooth, the brow tine being nearly 

 at right angles to the beam. The record head for 

 the Central Provinces is 41 inches, whilst in the 

 United Provinces 36 inches is quoted as a record. 

 An average head is 30 inches round the curve, and 

 5 inches at midbeam. The points in the horns 

 vary a good deal, it being a common thing to 

 secure a head carrying more points on the one 



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