ABOUT SOME DEER. 251 



most peculiar, and when first heard gives one the 

 idea of being produced by some ferocious wild 

 beast, rather than by such a timid, graceful little 

 animal ; and how the little body can produce such 

 an alarming volume of sound is a mystery which 

 it is hard to fathom. This bark will generally 

 be heard during the morning and evening, or if 

 the animal is alarmed either by the presence of 

 tigers, panthers, wild-dogs, or their common 

 enemy, man. To the latter, however, he often 

 betrays his presence by this means, for he will 

 continue barking at intervals for a long time. 



He is, from his size, a most difficult animal to 

 shoot with a rifle, and his movements, when run- 

 ning, are so rapid that the chances of bagging him 

 by a snap shot as he rushes with lightning-like 

 rapidity from one patch of cover to another are 

 considerably multiplied. He may be often bag- 

 ged, however, with a charge of shot as I have 

 mentioned at another page in this work.* Still, 

 stalking is the most sportsmanlike method of pur- 

 suing him, and the difficulties attending this 

 method of pursuit will enhance the pleasure of 

 success. 



They are pretty common, though by no means 

 numerous, in all the large jungle tracks, and, 

 like the cheetal, they do not ascend, I believe, to 



* Vide p. 41. 



