762 LIEUT. R. C. BEAVAN ON THE PANOLTA DEER. [June 27, 



for large herds of tame Buffaloes, which are during the rains pas- 

 tured here by the Karens, but withdrawn into the heavy jungles near 

 the hills when in April and May the whole of the vegetation on the 

 plain becomes parched up and devoured by jungle-fires. 



At the time of my visit vast flocks of waders and other water-birds 

 were arriving from the north, and the creeks were filled with Pele- 

 cans of several species, whilst the mud-flats absolutely swarmed with 

 Stints, Sandpipers, Egrets, and especially the Eosy Tantalus. Here 

 and there, stalking gravely amongst the flowering paddy, might be 

 seen pairs of the Siris Crane (Grus antigone), or a troop of Adju- 

 tants, both of which birds breed in the neighbourhood. Occasion- 

 ally the rarer Javan Adjutant was met with, and the Jabiru Stork 

 (^Mycteria australis) . 



The rutting-season of this Deer commences in the middle of 

 March, and lasts throughout April to the middle of May. The 

 female gestates nearly seven months, and brings forth her young 

 amongst the jungle-paddy in October and November, the paddy 

 being then flowering or in seed and at its greatest height. The female 

 has only one young one at a time, which frequently stays with its 

 mother until the second year*. The females have only four teats. 

 In colour they are much like the female Sam bur, but perhaps a little 

 lighter. The young are at first spotted or menilled, but these mark- 

 ings disappear with age. The females are hornless. Both sexes 

 begin to breed at about eighteen months old. The young males 

 first begin to acquire horns in the second yearf . After two years 

 they get two tines, and when about seven years old are in their prime, 

 with twelve tines (including the brow-antler). The colour of a full- 

 grown buck is dark brown, especially about the back and neck, with 

 underparts lighter. As far as I can ascertain there is no trace of a 

 mane ; and the texture of the coat varies considerably with the sea- 

 sons. More exact information on these points is, however, needed. 



The natives have a vague idea that two distinct species, " the lesser 

 and the greater Thamyn," are to be found in the same herds, dis- 

 tinguishable only by differences of the size of the horns and of co- 

 lour ; but this of course is to be accounted for by the individual 

 distinctions common to all races of animals. The horns are per- 

 fectly developed in March, and shed in the middle of the rainy 

 season — that is, about September. 



The average weight of the male is from 50 to 60 vissj, that of a 

 female 40 viss. Four men can carry a male with ease when disem- 

 bowelled and quartered §. The male averages 3| feet in height at 

 the shoulder ; the female a little less. The very largest males do 

 not exceed 4^ feet in height. 



The flesh is much liked by the Burmese, and always finds a ready 

 sale in the neighbouring villages. The Karens, however, will not 



* The mother will breed a second time eighteen months after bringing forth, 

 so that the young of two seasons are not unfrequently seen with tlieir parent, 

 t As noticed above by Blyth, on Major Tickell's specimen at Moiilmein. 

 X A viss is equal to 140 tolahs. 

 § As noticed by Blyth, the Burmese always quarter deer with the skin on. 



