CHAPTER XXXII. 



THE BARKING DEER. 



Cervulus Muntjac. 

 Generally throughout the Himalayas Kdkur. In Nipal and neighbouring States — Ratwd. 



The Barking Deer is only found in the lower hills, including the Sewalik range, and 

 seldom ascends to a greater elevation than 5,000 or 6,000 feet. Although it may be met 

 with nearly everywhere between Assam and the Indus, the Barking Deer is not exactly 

 plentiful, except in certain localities. A well-known sportsman told me that he once stalked 

 and shot nine in one morning, in a small valley in Kamaon. Usually, even where they are 

 tolerably common, only two or three would be seen during a morning's walk. 



The Barking Deer generally goes by its native name of Kakur ; it is also known to 

 naturalists by the name of Muntjac,. but I do not know in what country it receives that 

 appellation — certainly not in any part of India with which I am acquainted. 



The Kakur is one of the smallest deer, not being much more than eighteen inches in 

 height. The body is long and flexible, and the legs very short, which enables the animal 

 to make its way with ease through the low and tangled copses which it generally frequents. 



The color of the skin is a bright red, and the hair is short, smooth, and glossy. The 

 lower parts are white, including the under part of the tail, which is rather long, and is usually 

 carried erect when the animal is running away. Frequently the whisk of the white tail is 

 the first and last sign of the deer which catches the eye, as the little beast bounds into thick 

 cover, on the edge of which it had previously been standing unobserved. 



Two grooves or folds of the skin in the form of a V give a curious expression to the 

 face, which is heightened by black tufts of hair over the eyebrows. 



Above the folds in the face are two pedestals of bone covered with hair, on the sum- 

 mit of which the horns are situated : they are generally about five inches long, and bend 

 inwards at the points in the form of hooks. In adult specimens there is also a small tine near 

 the base of the horn. 



The male is furnished with two strong and sharp tusks in the upper jaw ; these are 

 formidable weapons, and small as the Kakur is, he can make uncommonly good use of them. 

 I have heard, on the best authority, of powerful dogs being badly injured, and even killed, by 

 a wounded buck. 



When the Kakur runs, a curious rattling sound is sometimes heard, and various theories 

 have been advanced to account for it. I have not succeeded in solving the problem to my 



