THE SPOTTED DEER. 191 



The Chi'tal is a shy and retiring animal, lying quiet in the densest thickets during the 

 heat of the day, and if disturbed, generally attempting to elude observation by concealment, 

 or by trying to sneak quietly away. I have often, when beating for Tigers, seen a cunning 

 old stag with his head down silently creeping away through the jungle, sometimes passing 

 almost under the Elephants. When on foot I have known a herd come quietly past within 

 two or three yards of me in thick cover, and even at that short distance have had difficulty 

 in getting a shot. It might be supposed that such a brightly colored animal would be 

 very conspicuous in the forest, but this is far from being the case ; unless it moves, few 

 beasts are more difficult to see ; the color of the skin harmonizes with the dead leaves and 

 grass, while the white spots are indistinguishable from the little flecks of light caused by 

 the sunshine passing through the leafy branches. Chi'tal generally assemble in herds of 

 from ten to thirty, among which are probably two or three stags ; but occasionally herds of 

 hundreds are met with. 



On being disturbed, and especially on detecting the presence of a beast of prey, the 

 Chi'tal utters a sort of shrill bark, and many a time has this cry betrayed a Tiger to the 

 sportsman. The stag's cry is a peculiar moaning sort of bellow, and is generally to be 

 heard at night. 



Immense numbers of Spotted Deer are frequently met with when beating for Tigers, 

 and many are shot off Elephants in this way. In long grass it is of course only possible 

 to shoot them from Elephants, but however satisfactory it may be to bowl over a stag in full 

 career by a clever snap-shot from the howdah, it cannot, in my opinion, compare with the 

 pleasure of stalking and shooting the same animal on foot, where the nature of the country 

 renders it possible. I know places where splendid sport can be obtained in this way, among 

 low hills covered chiefly with bamboo and sal, with, of course, a considerable undergrowth, 

 but with many open spaces, and intersected by not infrequent streams. 



Among such scenes I have passed many happy days, and I will attempt to describe a 

 few of the incidents. 



On the 3rd of May, 1863, I arrived at Futtehpur bungalow, about sixteen miles from 

 Roorkee. Going out into the jungle, I had not walked very far when I caught a glimpse 

 of a stag Chi'tal galloping through the bushes. I ran for a shot, and fired as he was going 

 straight away from me at a distance of about ninety yards. I heard the shell explode, and 

 the buck staggered but went on. On going to the spot I found plenty of blood and small 

 pieces of flesh lying about ! We had to track him for fully half a mile and then he required 

 another bullet. I found that the shell had completely shattered his hind-quarters. The same 

 evening I stalked and shot another stag, but as it was late I had to leave him in the jungle. 



Next morning I found that a Tiger . had carried off the carcase : I tracked him to 

 where he had left the remains, and sat by the place in the evening. The Tiger did not 

 appear before it became quite dark, so I went home ; but next morning I discovered that 

 he had again visited the scanty remains. 



Having met my friend M., who had a number of Elephants, he asked me to join him 

 and beat for Tigers, and consequently I did not shoot many more deer for some days. 



