Jungle By- Ways in India 



old doe will probably lead the way, and stand 

 on the edge of the forest for several minutes, 

 searching intently every yard of the open grass 

 area in front of her to the distant horizon before 

 she moves out into it. Her ears flick backwards 

 and forwards as she listens to catch the faintest 

 inimical sound, and she noses and snuffs the air for 

 foreign alarming scents. 



At length she is apparently satisfied, and moves 

 forward and commences to crop the grass. Now 

 the rest of the herd, comprised of does of all sizes 

 who have been halting just within the leafy shade 

 of the trees, follow in her tracks, and more or less 

 keep to them at first. Watch them ! 



The ears are ever on the move flickering back- 

 wards and forwards, and their longish scuts are 

 propelled incessantly from side to side. They 

 move along holding the head low. Only when 

 alarmed is the head thrown up, the ears flick for- 

 ward and remain erect and rigid, whilst the neck is 

 stretched to the utmost length to enable a com- 

 plete survey of the surrounding neighbourhood to 

 be made. Sambhar will remain in this position 

 for minutes at a time if they are really alarmed, 

 and then with a sharp squeal they turn to the 

 right-about and are off at their curious lumbering 

 gallop, crashing through everything as they lollop 

 along in lumbering bounds, which have but little of 

 the agility of the barasingha or chitul about them. 



The hair is very coarse, and they are dark 



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