ORDER RUMINANTIA. 233 



never more than one male so marked is seen in a herd, the 

 leader and champion of the females and the young *. 



The females are without horns, and assume the same 

 colours till they acquire the tawny or fulvous coat, which is 

 about their fifth year, when a white streak gradually shews 

 itself on each side of the spine, but they never acquire the 

 dark garb of the males. There appears to be in India no 

 fixed period for copulation. They are gravid nine months, 

 from which considerable longevity is to be presumed. One 

 kid is produced at a birth, too weak to rise from the ground 

 for some days ; at length it is led out from the cover by the 

 dam, and follows the herd till the third year, when it is ex- 

 pelled by the jealousy of the leading buck, to wander at 

 some distance, exposed to the grasp of the Tiger, or the 

 weapons of sportsmen. Thus left to their own resources, 

 many perish ; the others become vigilant, and even bold. 

 Most of the specimens procured are males of this class, but 

 many precautions are necessary to capture them, so great 

 is their vigilance and distrust. 



We have seen several individuals together, both at Exeter 

 'Change and in paddoks of gentlemen. The males are in- 

 clined to be vicious at certain seasons, but the females are 

 remarkably gentle : they lived all together peaceably with 

 deer and sheep, walking occasionally round their fence, then 

 skipping more rapidly, and, at length, bounding with great 

 force and velocity ; they shewed much curiosity, came to- 

 wards new objects, even when terrified, and it was generally 

 after reconnoitring something strange that their gambols 

 commenced. Similar habits had already been observed by 

 Pallas, in those kept at the Menagerie of the Stadtholder of 



* According to Kevenot not more than five or six are led (not 

 followed) by a male, and several of these families together make a 

 herd. He, too, names them spotted, or like our fawns, which last 

 expression makes it doubtful whether he is not speaking of Hog- 

 deer. 



Vol. IV. R 



