OF THE OLD WORLD, 9 



then unloosening the girths of our saddles, we gave 

 strict injunctions to our people to remain quiet, and 

 sallied into the glen, accompanied by one of the men 

 who had seen the fresh slots. 



I was so impatient to get on the trail, and plunge 

 at once, as it were, in medias res, that I have omit- 

 ted to describe the sambur, and also to point out the 

 properties requisite for a deer-stalker. This species 

 of deer, which is to be met with in almost all the 

 large jungles throughout India, is considerably- 

 larger than the Scotch red deer, and cannot be 

 mistaken for the same species. The horns are 

 rather upright, having two short brow antlers only, 

 and at three years old two points at the extremities 

 of each beam ; the eyes are large and very pro- 

 minent ; the ears rounded ; the tail longer, and the 

 arm more muscular than our red stags. The hair 

 immediately next to the jaw is longer than any 

 other part of the neck, and when he is alarmed or 

 excited it stands on end, and forms a kind of ruff, 

 sometimes called the mane. The colour varies 

 slightly, but is usually of very dark slate, mingled 

 with gray, nearly black about the face and points, 

 and a light buff between the haunches and under- 

 neath. The female is much smaller than the male, 

 and is of a lighter colour. 



The horns vary in size, according to the age of 

 the animal, and are cast annually, not, however, 

 always at the same time, for one generally drops a 

 day or two after the other. The new horns attain 



