Chital or Axis Deer 6 c 



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The herd at the same time had a white buck amongst them 

 that I had bought from a menagerie, and many of the fawns began 

 to be very spotted, with a lighter coat and white legs ; but although 

 I tried to persuade myself this was the result of having the axis 

 stag running with the fallow deer, I think they were really the 

 white buck's progeny. 



Unfortunately, I had not at the same time any sika deer in the 

 park, or it would have been very interesting to see if the axis would 

 cross w r ith them. He seemed, by his make and shape, nearly allied 

 to them, and his horns were almost like those of a sika stag. 



Moreover, the red skin not velvet with which the horns of 

 the axis are clothed w T hen " in velvet," is almost identical with that 

 on the horns of the Manchurian sika, which the axis also matches 

 in size. 



This axis stag became very savage, attacking men and horses, 

 so that finally I had to shoot him. 



I shot him out of a trotting wagon, which he was coming 

 forwards to attack, and even after being hit by a '36 rook-rifle, he had 

 half a mind to charge. 



The axis hind could not be kept in the park when young ; she 

 kept jumping the deer-fence, which is not high, as it is only 

 intended for fallow deer, its lowest part being some four feet high 

 on a bank, with a deep ditch on the take-off side (I mean inside 

 the park). 



This keeps in the fallow deer and sika, although of course 

 the wapiti, etc., have a higher fence for their enclosures. 



The axis hind finally got out into a wood, so I drew for her 

 with my hounds, when she gave us three and a half hours' 



