936 Journal of a Trip to the Burenda Pass in 1836. [Nov. 



gray above, lighter on the inside of the limbs and beneath. The ears are large 

 and usually carried erect. The males have no horns, but are furnished with two 

 long recurved canine teeth hanging over the under lip from the upper jaw. The 

 use of these, whether for defence or digging roots when the snow is lying on the 

 earth in winter, is as yet, I believe, doubtful. The females and young males 

 have neither these teeth nor the musk bag. It is a plump-looking animal and 

 graceful in its movements, and when taken young is easily tamed. The natives 

 of these hills call it " Kasi&ra." 



A figure and description of this animal, taken from a specimen in the Edin- 

 burgh College museum appears in the " Naturalist's Library." The color is there 

 given as " dark reddish brown," while all the skins I have seen of the musk deer 

 of these hills were dark grey ; in old specimens a faint reddish tinge was spread 

 over the upper parts. Neither do the habits of the animal, as stated in that work, 

 as far as I can gather from the hill shikaris and my own observation, agree with 

 those of the animal known here as the musk deer. I transcribe a few lines, the 

 better to point out in what the difference consists. 



" Its hibits, in fact, are similar to the chamois and some of the mountain goats, 

 climbing andbounding among the precipices of the Alpine ridges of Central Asia 

 with astonishing activity, assembling in herds, and often appearing in very con- 

 siderable numbers." " They inhabit the region between China and Tarfa>y, 

 extending to the mountains above the sources of the Indus, and northward to near 

 Lake Baikal. 



At times they appear to migrate from one district to another, assembling pre- 

 viously in large herds. Some zoologists however have considered this assem- 

 blage not connected with migration, but consisting entirely of males in search of 

 the female." 



The Kastura or musk deer of these hills is to be found in the deep forest shades 

 of Mahassu throughout the year ; I have seen them found from that place to 

 the Burenda Pass and invariably single, sometimes a male, sometimes a female. 

 The information obtained from the shikaris, is that they lie singly at all times 

 except the rutting season, when a male and one or more females may be found 

 together or near each other, but only for a short time. That they are never 

 seen in herds. They breed in May and June at which season the shepherds in 

 the interior catch the young ones. 



I have seen the musk deer single in June, August, September, and October, and 

 as they breed in May and June, they have only the most inclement season left 

 for migrating, which is contrary to nature, as animals migrate in order to avoid 

 inclemency. May there not be another species beyond the Himalaya ? 



The color of the specimen in the Edinburgh museum may be owing to the 

 preservation used in preparing the skin ! ? 



It is generally supposed that the musk of this animal has some connection with 

 the rutting season, it being strongest at that time. The idea I think is strength- 

 ened from the circumstance of the animal living such a solitary life, as the musk 

 becoming strong at the season of love, is a means of guiding the females to the 

 male, and thus the reason is plain why sometimes one and sometimes more 

 females are found with one male; for in the almost endless forests of their haunts 

 it may sometimes happen that only one or two deer may be found, while at other 



