xxvi THE HOG-DEER 439 



My experience in hunting the axis proved that the extreme 

 quickness, and dexterity in using the antlers, made it a more for- 

 midable antagonist to the greyhound than the more powerful but 

 less active sambur. The real sport lay in coursing with a brace of 

 greyhounds, but the difficulty lay in discovering a single stag. The 

 deer were in herds, therefore when the hounds were slipped, they 

 took different deer, instead of selecting and following only one. A 

 single greyhound would be sure to receive a wound if he were game 

 enough to go straight for the deer's head. 



The hog-deer (C. porcinus) is the third species in Asiatic deer 

 which has only six tines to the pair of antlers. This is a remark- 

 able little animal about the size or a little larger than a good roe- 

 deer. The skin is a deep rich brown, and the horns resemble those 

 of a diminutive sambur. The habits of this deer are totally opposed 

 to all others. It is never in herds, although a locality may abound 

 with them, but it is generally found in pairs, or singly. The 

 female of this species has frequently two calves at a birth. I have 

 never been able to understand the reason of the name " hog-deer," 

 except that it is generally found in high grass and the same places 

 that are infested by wild pigs. In certain districts the C. pordnus 

 is very common, while in many other portions of India it does not 

 exist. It generally lies close to the ground in very high grass or 

 dense bush, and will not move until it is beaten out, or almost trodden 

 upon by a line of elephants. They are difficult to hit with a bullet 

 from the howdah, as they can seldom be seen distinctly, owing to 

 the great height of the grass, through which they rush at a 

 tremendous pace when kicked up by the advance of beaters. I 

 am not ashamed to use buck-shot, or B.B. in one barrel of my 

 Paradox gun, which is admirably adapted for a snap-shot. When 

 fired at, if wounded, or even if missed, the hog-deer will sometimes 

 rush forward for 50 or 100 yards, and then squat, to conceal itself 

 in the dense grass. It will lie perfectly close until the elephants 

 arrive within a few feet, and then start off at its usual extraordinary 

 pace. 



In some of the churs of the Brahmaputra there are great 

 numbers of these deer, and now that the tigers have been almost 

 extirpated, I have no doubt they will increase. Although the hog- 

 deer cannot be said to afford great sport, it much enlivens the day, 

 and it is excellent practice for the nerves of elephants, as it keeps 

 them upon the strain for hours together when marching through 

 the grass. 



There is a species of deer in Japan which closely resembles the 

 fallow-deer of Europe, excepting the difference of antlers. The 



