CHAPTER XXXIV. 



THE SAM BUR. 



Cervus Aristotelis. 



Generally throughout India — Sdmbar — Sdmar. In Dera Dun— Md/id — Maid. 



In the Himalayas — Jardo. 



The Sambur is one of the best-known game animals of India, and has been described 

 by nearly every writer on Indian sport. It is found wherever there are forest-clad hills in 

 almost every province from the Himalayas to Ceylon, but is not met with, as far as I am 

 aware, to the west of the Sutlej, beyond which river, in the mountainous districts, it gives 

 place to the Kashmir Deer. 



The Sambur or Jarao is common in parts of Garhwal and Kamaon, and in the Sewaliks, 

 and from thence eastwards ; it is extremely abundant along the whole length of the Terai 

 and the spurs of the Himalayas, as far as Assam. In the Central Provinces, and in Chota 

 Nagpiir, Sambur are also plentiful in suitable localities. 



The Sambur is one of the largest of the deer tribe, considerably exceeding both the 

 Red Deer and Kashmir Deer in height and bulk. It is probably on account of its great 

 size that it has received the misnomer of Elk in Madras and Ceylon. . 



The stag is a grand-looking beast, attaining a height of about fourteen hands, while he 

 is very strongly made. The color is a dark brown, and when the coat has been recently 

 shed, an old stag looks nearly black. The hair is extremely coarse, and at certain seasons 

 the throat is surrounded by a shaggy mane, which is erected when the animal is excited. 



The horns are massive, but have usually only three tines. The Sambur of the higher 

 Himalayas however, has frequently more tines, which has given rise to the belief that it 

 is a different species, but I believe that there is no doubt that the Jarao and the Sambur 

 are the same. I know of no deer whose horns vary so much in size as those of the Sambur, 

 apparently irrespective of the age or size of the animal. Very large stags sometimes carry 

 small stunted-looking horns. 



The development of horn appears to depend more upon locality than upon anything 

 else : I have seen some grand Jarao heads, and I have come across Sambur stags with very 

 fine horns in Chota Nagpiir, but I have never seen a really good head from the Doon, the 

 Terai, nor the Bhutan Dooars. 



