168 TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE. 



It seemed a pity to spoil such a pretty picture by shedding blood •, 

 but after all, death from buUet, knife, or spear is the most fitting end 

 for any wild animal. Why should I not slay that noble stag in a 

 moment's time and preserve it to be admired by thousands of other 

 men, rather than leave it to be pulled down and torn to bits by a 

 tiger ? "Without further argument, I sent a Maynard bullet through 

 his shoulders, and he was mine. The next moment the herd dashed 

 away at a great pace, but I managed to get in another shot, which 

 brought down a fine doe. 



The dimensions and weight of both specimens are given in the 

 table of measurements, and may be taken as the average size at- 

 tained by this species. This deer is difficult to approach within 

 fair shooting distance, but a careful hunter can, in nearly every 

 case, stalk a herd successfully in such foi'est as that upon the 

 Animallais. At the same time they are exceedingly wary, and in 

 brushy ground would be very dilficidt to kill. A stick breaking 

 under the hunter's foot is quite sufficient to send the herd off 

 flying, and their sight is usually quite as keen as their sense of 

 sound. I have noticed that the buck never leads a herd, as many 

 suppose, but lags along toward the rear, while an old doe leads the 

 van. The flesh is always good eating, and that of young indi- 

 viduals is very fine indeed, fine-grained and sweet, but, like most 

 venison, a little dry. The tongue is of course a choice tit-bit. 



The axis is not easily frightened by evidences of civilization, 

 and at times they are guilty of the most barefaced impudence. 

 Once at MoochjDardi, a solitary stag came up close to our camp, 

 but on the other side of the river, in broad dayhght, and uttered 

 his loud, clear note of defiance. He repeated it so often and so de- 

 fiantly that I finally went out with my rifle, waded the river, 

 stalked my challenger successfully, and — made a clean miss. But 

 that was not the only time we heard spotted deer calling near our 

 camp. 



The sambur, or Indian elk (Busa aristotelis), is abundant in the 

 Animallais, although not seen so frequently as the axis deer, nor in 

 anything like such numbers. Usually they are found solitary, often 

 two or three are found together, and once I saw seven in one herd. 

 The sambur is the largest animal of the deer tribe in the East In- 

 dies, and is in many respects the oriental counterpart of our Ameri- 

 can elk, or wapiti {Cervus canadensis), although the former is not 

 nearly so large and noble looking an animal as its American con- 

 gener. The sambur stands about foui- feet six to ten inches in 



