250 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



and various theories have been adduced to ac- 

 count for it. I have not succeeded in solving the 

 problem to my entire satisfaction, but I believe 

 the sound is produced either by the jaws being 

 closed with a clash, or by the tongue being struck 

 sharply against the roof of the mouth. The 

 sound is not produced by the tusks, for 1 have 

 heard it made by a female karkur which I kept 

 for some time.' 



This certainly is a most graphic description of 

 this curious little deer. That it can do consider- 

 able damage to dogs is borne out by the testimony 

 of many Ceylon sportsmen, who, when hunting 

 sambur or c elk' (as they are there called) frequent- 

 ly come across them, and their pack, generally 

 composed of foxhounds, Scotch deer-hounds, and 

 Australian kangaroo-hounds, often suffer consider- 

 able loss from the determination with which this 

 little deer defends itself with horns and tusks 

 when brought to bay. In Ceylon it is called the 

 ' red-deer.' 



Its gait when not alarmed is very peculiar, and 

 is somewhat ludicrous. It steps daintily along, 

 lifting each leg alternately high above the ground, 

 as if treading on hot iron, and yet it moves noise- 

 lessly along, glancing right and left, and keenly 

 alive to the slightest noise or indication of danger. 



Its bark, or rather hoarse, discordant roar, is 



