Antlers 



At the same time he is one of the wariest of the 

 jungle denizens. When with his harem he expects 

 the does to protect him, and will be found in the 

 rear when the herd is on the march. It is only at 

 night or at dawn or early dusk that he will be found 

 in the open, either in the beautiful grassy dells and 

 savannahs which are to be found in the sal forest 

 country, or in the fields devouring the crops of the 

 wretched jungle cultivator, the inhabitant of the 

 forest village ; for he is not above taking toll of 

 young succulent crops, though he is at his very 

 wariest when doing so. 



Well aware are the jungle men of his habits and 

 peculiarities. ' It is of no use, sahib/ they will 

 tell you. ' You must go out and take up your 

 position long before daybreak on one of the likely 

 animal runs by which he will return at earliest 

 dawn to the forest, if you want to get a shot at a 

 good stag. And then beware, oh, beware of the 

 does ! For if they so much as get the slightest sus- 

 picion of your presence, good-bye to all chance of 

 seeing the stag. He will be off like the wind.' 



Rarely will a stag worth a second glance at be 

 caught napping out in the open once the sun has 

 risen over the hill or tree- tops. 



There can be little doubt, I think, with the 

 enormously increased shooting to which the 

 forests of the country are becoming more and 

 more subject, that the sambhar, or the old, wily, 

 large sambhar with the shootable heads, are 



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