328 JOURNAL, BOMB A V NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 



up in the long grass alongside, and suggested, that if I only tried the 

 same method I should certainly be well rewarded. Fortunately for the 

 game, our ideas on sport differ from those of the Burmese. As a 

 matter of fact, I expect these animals do go a long time without water 

 as, the dew being so very heavy, a considerable amount of moisture 

 must be taken in with the food. 



Under ordinary circumstances, and when the usual precautions 

 regarding wind, etc., are taken, they are not very wary or difficult to 

 approach, but if the grounds have been disturbed, which is especially 

 the case if dogs have been over them, the deer are very sharp and shy; 

 the least thing alarms them. At first, they move off with a few big 

 bounds, but before long settle down to a long swinging trot, which I 

 should describe as their pace when alarmed. Strangely enough, when 

 startled, they do not generally make for the nearest cover, but prefer 

 to trot along in the open, halting, every now and then, to have a good 

 look at the object which caused them fear. The case is different with 

 wounded stags ; they take to any cover fast enough, and to follow 

 them into the grass would be almost as foolish as searching for the 

 proverbial needle in a bundle of hay. One great blessing, however, is 

 that the misery and annoyance of feeling that you have wounded a 

 beast only to die a lingering death, can be avoided, as dogs are always 

 procurable at any fishery, and if a stag is at all damaged, they are not 

 long in running him down. A few shots daily do not disturb the 

 ground much, neither do carts, as during the fair weather they are 

 employed taking things to and from the fisheries, and bringing in 

 thatch. 



During the period when the Thamin stags are in velvet they do not 

 appear to keep much with the herds, but mis more freely with the 

 hinds when their horns are fully developed, which is at the end of Feb- 

 ruary and beginning of March. The rutting season is April and May, 

 when a certain amount of violent excitement is noticeable, but the 

 stags are, when compared with those at home, wonderfully quiet 

 about their hinds. Fights, of course, do take place occasionably, when 

 the clashing of horns may be heard some distance off. The ruff, at this 

 period, is seen to perfection. 



Hinds go in calf from six and-a-half to seven months, the young 

 ones being born in the long grass in October and November. The 



