188 Captain JR. C. Beavan on Panolia Eldi. [No. 3, 



for the Zoological Society of London.* Major Tickell had one 

 alive for some time in Moulmein, hnt it was eventually killed by 

 pariah dogs which got into its enclosures at night. My informant, the 

 shikarree, tells me that he had one also tame some years since ; he 

 caught it when about three months old, fed it on milk at first, and 

 afterwards on grass and plantain leaves, and, after a short time, it be- 

 came so tame that it would follow its owner about, and never attempt 

 to leave the dwellings of man ; after an interval of two years, it got a 

 small pair of horns shaped like those of the adult, but much smaller. 

 Finally, like most pets, it met with an untimely end, being stolen and 

 killed for food by rapacious Burmese officials. From this the species 

 appear to be capable of easy domestication, although it is said by some 

 invariably to pine away and die after capture. The horns of the species 

 are of large size, and are kept by the natives for making handles for 

 sickles. The small ones are of no value, and are either thrown away or 

 cut up and used as pegs. 



As to medicinal qualities, when a buff aloe is bitten by a snake, the 

 horn of the thamyn ground to powder is mixed with a solution of the 

 leaves of the " Yekazoon" (Ipomcea. sp. or convolvulus,) and given in- 

 ternally, as it is said to cure the bitten animal immediately. No other 

 part of the beast appears to be used medicinally, and the above men- 

 tioned nostrum is of no avail for the human race. 



In conclusion, there is one point to which I wish to draw especial 

 attention, as one on which our information at present is very limited. 

 It is not known for certain whether the thamyn, in its first year, has 

 horns without the brow antler, or whether they are the same as those 

 of adult individuals, but smaller and with fewer tynes. The pros and 

 cons on either side of the question are I find about equal. It remains 

 for those who have the opportunity of rearing the young animal in 

 captivity, or of shooting a young one, to prove which is the right view 

 of the case. 



* I have since heard that Col. Phayre has one at the present time alive at 

 Rangoon, and Mr. Grote one at Alipore, supposed to be the young of this 

 species. 



A fine fall grown stag which I received for Col. Phayre is now in the Zoolo- 

 gical Soc. Gardens, London. — Editor. 



