UP THE RIVER OF TAPIRS 137 



"umbrella-pointed" bullet going in at one shoulder, and 

 ranging forward, breaking the neck. The leaden portion 

 of the bullet, in the proper mushroom or umbrella shape, 

 stopped under the neck skin on the farther side. It is a 

 very effective bullet. 



Miller particularly wished specimens of these various 

 species of bush deer, because their mutual relationships 

 have not yet been satisfactorily worked out. This was an 

 old buck. The antlers were single spikes, five or six inches 

 long; they were old and white and would soon have been 

 shed. In the stomach were the remains of both leaves and 

 grasses, but especially the former; the buck was both a 

 browser and grazer. There were also seeds, but no ber- 

 ries or nuts such as I have sometimes found in deers' 

 stomachs. This species, which is abundant in this neigh- 

 borhood, is solitary in its habits, not going in herds. At 

 this time the rut was past, the bucks no longer sought 

 the does, the fawns had not been born, and the yearlings 

 had left their mothers; so that each animal usually went 

 by itself. When chased they were very apt to take to the 

 water. This instinct of taking to the water, by the way, 

 is quite explicable as regards both deer and tapir, for it 

 affords them refuge against their present-day natural foes, 

 but it is a little puzzling to see the jaguar readily climbing 

 trees to escape dogs; for ages have passed since there were 

 in its habitat any natural foes from which it needed to 

 seek safety in trees. But it is possible that the habit 

 has been kept alive by its seeking refuge in them on occa- 

 sion from the big peccaries, which are among the beasts 

 on which it ordinarily preys. 



We hung the buck in a tree. The colonel returned, and 



