Antlers 



clear of the forest stood erect, a glorious figure of 

 expectancy and suspicion, as he scanned every 

 inch of the open country and snuffed up the 

 wind. Seeing and scenting nothing suspicious, he 

 stalks onwards. Suddenly one of the does emits 

 a startled yelp, that peculiar, harsh sound of the 

 barasingha which is totally unlike the sharp 

 note of the chitul. The stag conies to an abrupt 

 halt, and up goes his head again, and he stands 

 like a statue cast in bronze. A long and more 

 suspicious wait this time, and I feel rather than 

 see his eye in my direction. I scarcely breathe, 

 and remain as inert as the rock upon which I am 

 seated. At last he feels absolutely certain that all 

 is safe, and then he takes a few quick majestic 

 strides into the open, lowers his great head, and 

 commences to crop the sweet-scented grass. No 

 more notice is now taken by the lord of the herd 

 and the chota sahebs — for some half-dozen other 

 stags with horns of various sizes are in attendance 

 on the old one — of the cries of the giddy, suspicious, 

 and frolicsome young females, though a young 

 stag will be found ready to ogle and have a sly 

 frolic with a handsome young doe of the harem 

 if he can compass such with safety ; for he has a 

 very wholesome and natural respect for those 

 mighty antlers carried by his lord and master. 



I was surprised to find these stags still with the 

 does, as it was already near the end of April, at 

 which period the stags are usually in small parties 

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