Jungle By -Ways in India 



approached this with a 39J inch, shot at Mohand 

 in the SiwaUks, in April, 1909. 



Thirty-six inch is considered a good head. A 

 chitul stag in good condition runs from 200 lbs. to 

 250 lbs. in weight, being 32 inches at the shoulder. 



The rutting season for spotted deer is very 

 irregular, fawns being born throughout the year. 

 The horns are consequently shed very irregularly, 

 mostly perhaps between October and March. The 

 period of gestation is eight months. 



The tracks of the chitul are narrower and more 

 pointed in front, and also smaller than those of the 

 barasingha. 



I have noted, so far as my experience goes, that 

 the chitul stag appears to be more wary than the 

 barasingha. Or I may better express my own 

 observations by saying that the former stag ap- 

 pears to almost invariably leave the forest last when 

 in company of a herd of does and smaller stags. 



Often have I waited in vain for a shot at the big 

 stag of a herd. I remember on one occasion I 

 watched a herd for several evenings in succession, 

 in the hopes of securing a good stag I had marked 

 down in it. The herd was curious in one way. 

 There was a white or albino hind in it. I have 

 often regretted since that I did not shoot this 

 white doe instead of spending my energies on the 

 stag. I do not fancy that albino does are un- 

 common amongst chitul, but it happens to be the 

 only case I have seen myself. 



48 



