258 Eusiy^. 



these differences are, Fiowever, observed in individuals from the same part 

 of the country, and others appear due to age or climate. Elliot, in his 

 Catalogue, considered all to be Tarieties of one species. He says, " the 

 horns of different individuals present great diversities of form. I have met 

 ■with instances of medial antlers, of trifurcated extremities, and in one case 

 vrith the extremity showing a fourfold division." I have seen many 

 Sambers in Southern India with a trifurcate extremity to one or both 

 horns, and more rarely a horn without the terminal snag, corresponding to 

 Hodgson's heterocercus. 



The horns vary much in thickness and length, some being very massive 

 but of no great length, others being comparatively thin but long, and the 

 divergence of the horns varies much, as well as the degree of curvature,, 

 and the relative size of the terminal snags. The horns are consideFed to 

 attain their complete form in the fourth year, and after that go on increas- 

 ing in size for several years more, without any normal alteration of form. 

 The length of the horns rarely exceeds 40 inches (indeed the generality are 

 under 3 feet), but some are recorded 4 feet along the curvature. The basal 

 antler 10 to 12 inches or more. The thickest pair of horns in the Museum 

 Asiatic Society, Calcutta, came from near Cuttack, and are extraordinarily 

 massive and heavy. An immense pair killed in Mysore, is alluded to by 

 Colonel W. Campbell, in his " Indian Journal," which he states (from 

 recollection however) to have been nearly 18 inches in circumference at the 

 base ! 



The color too varies a good deal even in the same locality, some being 

 much darker than others. Mr. W. Elliot says, writing of the Samber of 

 the Southern Mahratta country, "the color varies from dark-brown ta 

 grayish-black or slate-black, with the chin, the inner sides of the limbs, 

 the under part of the tail, and the space between the buttocks, yellowish- 

 white passing into orange-yellow, but never extending into a large circular 

 disk on the buttocks. In several instances I have met with the hinds of.a 

 pale yellow or light chesnut color. The neck and throat are clothed with 

 a long mane." 



The Samber orjeri'ow, is found in all the large forests of India, from the 

 extreme south to the Himalayas, ascending these mountains to 9,000 or 

 10,000 feet oi elevation. Among other localities may be named the 

 Western Ghats throughout their whole extent, the Wynaad, Coorg, the 

 Neelgherries, many parts of Mysore, the Eastern Ghats, the Vindhya and 

 Sautpoora ranges of hills, and all Central India where sufficient cover -is 



