THE HOG-DEER. 331 



survive in the heaviest jungles of Raj shy e and Maldah. The 

 days are however past when the sportsman, accompanied by 

 one or two attendants, could be certain of half a dozen shots 

 at least during a morning's stalk, or if lucky return to camp 

 with three or four goodly stags. I have myself brought in 

 as many as ten shot before noon. 



If the " para " or hog- deer be fairly treated, they multiply 

 rapidly, being a hardy race, but they are neither as large nor 

 as beautiful as the spotted deer ; moreover, living as they do, 

 by choice upon grass or reed-covered plains, they do not give 

 the stalker as good sport as the other, but when plentiful 

 afford excellent shooting from the howdah, a sport not to be 

 despised, as no animal is more difficult to bring down than 

 a hog-deer rushing rapidly through reeds and tall grass, with 

 its head held low and its body crouching close to the ground, 

 according to its habit. This animal frequents much the same 

 description of coverts as the wild hog, and sometimes 

 affords a good run to the hog-hunter with or without grey- 

 hounds. 



Wherever a rough low-lying plain covered with coarse 

 grass, thorny bushes, or stiff reeds, is seen bordering a great 

 river, skirting the base of hills, or lying snug and dank be- 

 tween deep woods, there may the hog-deer be found con- 

 sorting with the wild boar and the " kya " partridge ; and 

 unless thinned greatly by the tiger or panther, increasing and 

 multiplying exceedingly. These deer used literally to swarm 

 upon the " churs " of the Megna and the Brahmapootra, and 

 are still plentiful in parts of Mymensingh, Maldah, Dinage- 

 poor, and Purneah ; more particularly on both sides of the 

 river Koosee in the last-named district. 



The bright orange-coated " kakar " or barking-deer is 

 rather smaller but far prettier than the last, and is essentially 

 a habitant of hills and forests ; unlike the deer tribe in general 

 it does not collect together in herds, but prefers small parties, 

 or more commonly the company only of its mate. A very 

 few are left now in the Lower Provinces, but it will be put 

 up occasionally when tree coverts on hills or uplands are 



