1867.] Captain B. C. Beavan on Panolia Eldi. 185 



When first startled, their pace is great. They commence by giving 

 three or four large bounds like the axis or spotted deer, and afterwards 

 settle down into a long trot, which they will keep up for six or seven 

 miles on end where frequently disturbed. This is when the vegetation 

 on the plain is comparatively short. In the rains they do not go far 

 before they find a hiding place in the long paddy. Their powers of 

 leaping are highly developed. On the Yengyaing plain alone there 

 are at the present time about a thousand head, on the Thatong plain, a 

 little further to the north west, perhaps a hundred head only, which go 

 about in small herds of seven and eight. At Yengyaing the annual 

 number killed amounts to about forty-five, including those bagged by 

 Europeans, and about five natives gain their livelihood in that place, 

 almost entirely by the sale of the flesh. They are least gregarious in 

 the rainy weather, the females have mostly then retired in twos and 

 threes into quiet spots, and the herds are altogether more scattered, 

 owing to the increased density of the vegetation. They feed during both 

 day and night, chiefly however in the early morning and evening, their 

 food consisting principally of the jungle paddy. During the night they 

 do a great deal of damage to the cultivated variety, treading down 

 more than they eat. They also feed on grass, and on the leaves of two 

 jungle trees called in Burmese the " Keay" and the " Thamey," the 

 scientific appellations of which I am unable to resolve.* In a tamed 

 state they will eat plantain leaves. 



The call of the female, uttered when disturbed, is a short barking 

 grunt, that of the males is louder and more prolonged. It is most 

 frequently heard in the rutting season, during which period the males 

 have frequent and severe battles ; a pair have been known to have 

 been captured whilst so engaged, with their antlers interlocked. 



* I lately had a stag Panolia in confinement for many mouths. It was put 

 out every day amoug capital pasture, but invariably abstained from eating it. 

 I tried it with a number of trees and found that it eat quickly the leaves of 

 Ficus venosa, religiosa and indica,, and that the tender shoots and leaves of bam- 

 boos were its special favourite. It was kept close to a tank in which convol- 

 vulus reptans was growing luxuriantly, and it was accustomed daily betimes to 

 stand in the water up to its middle, and feed on the leaves of this plant also. 

 It did not appear, however, to be so fond of the water as the nearly affined bara 

 singha, Rucervus Buvaucellii. A male of the latter species in my possession, in the 

 hot season, used to spend the greater part of the day lying in the water. Its 

 food also apparently differs from that of the thamyn, for it browsed on common 

 pasture, and while in the water fed on the long straggling grass Seersia hexand/ro, 

 (Editor.) 



24 



