216 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



to ground. It never loses any opportunity of doing 

 this, and, as the plains of India are covered with holes 

 in all directions, it does not lack opportunity, and 

 usually goes to ground in the first hundred yards. 

 Tommy Atkins, who is addicted to whippets and 

 similar lurchers, invariably digs her out on these 

 occasions, and thus secures half-a-dozen hares on most 

 of his " hunting days." I may here remark that I 

 have known our English hare go to ground when 

 pressed. On the 2nd October, 1888, I saw this 

 happen with the Quarme Harriers in Devonshire. 

 In England, however, it is at least as rare as a fox 

 taking to a tree, whereas in India it is the rule. 



The Ceylon hare (L. nigricollis), on the contrary, 

 never goes to ground. Though not possessing the 

 speed or the stoutness of the European variety, it 

 makes a good fight for its life before a pack of harriers. 

 This hare, undoubtedly, is a scavenger, and I am 

 inclined to suspect the Indian hare of the same habit. 

 Indeed, I am doubtful if any species of hare can claim 

 entire acquittal on this charge. The Mosaic law is 

 otherwise justified with regard to prohibited flesh 

 therefore should we suppose that one animal only, 

 which is really a clean feeder, appears on the black 

 list ? 



With regard to the deer tribe, I have no experience 

 of the hunting of any of them with hounds in India, 

 but in Ceylon the sambur, there known as the elk, 

 is regularly hunted with foxhounds. With this 

 exception the only deer I have seen hunted is the 

 muntjac, known in Ceylon as the red deer. When 



