222 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



We had just ascended some rising ground over- 

 looking a stretch of scrub jungle extending as far 

 as the left bank of the Koel, when our attention 

 was drawn to a pack of four wild dogs squatted 

 on their haunches, close together, and evidently 

 watching something in the scrub towards the river. 

 Their backs were towards us, so we had time to 

 conceal ourselves and watch their further move- 

 ments. Now and again one of the group would 

 leave its companions, make a short reconnoitre, 

 and return with information which it evidently 

 imparted to its fellows. In a little time two of 

 the dogs set off, one in a direction down stream, 

 and the other up ; the other two separated a few 

 hundred yards, but without advancing towards the 

 game they had evidently spotted. About ten 

 minutes after the dogs had gone up and down 

 stream, one of those that had remained behind 

 rushed forward into the scrub and roused a fine 

 stag sambhur (C. Aristotelis) that must have been 

 lying up in a dense cover of scrub. The stag at 

 once made off down stream, the dog pursuing 

 for a hundred yards or so and then returning to 

 the place whence it started. For a little time 

 the sambhur had disappeared from view, and we 

 were about to resume our journey, when we saw 

 him in the distance making back with a wild dog 

 in hot pursuit. Now the sambhur headed up 

 stream, the dog following a few hundred yards and 

 then lying close. We began to understand the 

 tactics of the dogs, but still did not take in all 

 the details, so waited to see the denouement. The 



