218 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



stands about twenty-seven inches at the shoulder, 

 and the horns, which are a true stag's, average 

 about fifteen inches in length. 



I think few animals for their size are capable 

 of uttering a more alarming noise or presenting a 

 more ferocious aspect than the rib-faced deer,* 

 more commonly known as the muntjak, or bark- 

 ing deer. This little animal, which I think may 

 be almost described as the roe-deer of India, only 

 stands some eighteen to twenty inches high. The 

 colour of the hair is a bright chestnut red, smooth 

 and glossy. The under parts are white, and the 

 tail, for the size of the animal, rather long. When 

 running away, the tail is carried curled over its 

 quarters, much in the same manner as a rabbit 

 carries its scut when bolting from a gun or dog. 

 It is wonderfully active, and seems to be pos- 

 sessed of a marvellous flexibility of spine, and 

 limbs which enable it to squeeze through and 

 under brushwood that even a dog might have 

 some difficulty in forcing a passage through. 

 Doubtless this power is given to enable it to 

 escape from their great enemy the wild dog, of 

 whom more anon. 



Its great peculiarity, however, is the curious 

 formation of its head, and the fact of its being 

 furnished with a pair of teeth resembling boar's 



* Cervulus Aureus. 



