158 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



the horticultural aspect of an ornamental garden, trees and shrubs of 

 such economic value should be largely planted. Euminants, and for 

 that matter other animals also, should not be fed on newly harvested 

 gram and Indian-corn, which are indigestible and induce alimentary 

 disorders ; to be fit for consumption, the grain must be at least three 

 months old, and even then it is better to mix them with older stuff. 



Breeding. — Antelopes, gazelles, and deer have freely bred in this 

 garden. To protect the young from the nocturnal attacks of jackals 

 and pariah dogs, both the doe and the fawn require to be enclosed in 

 a place of safety, until such time as the latter is old and strong enough 

 to withstand its enemies. Mothers sometimes refuse to nourish the 

 young, rendering artificial feeding necessary. There are several ways 

 of accomplishing this ; the hand may be dipped in a basin of milk and 

 the animal coaxed to lick the fingers ; a regular feeding bottle may be 

 used for the purpose, or a primitive one made with a small piece of 

 tubular bamboo, with its open end cut obliquely, so as to facilitate 

 insertion into the mouth. The milk should always be mixed with a 

 small quantity of tepid water before feeding. Some animals require 

 seclusion to induce them to suckle their young, but there are again 

 positively bad and negligent mothers which take no notice of their off- 

 spring. 



The young of wapite and hog deer are born spotted ; the spots on 

 the former soon disappear, but in the latter they remain more or less 

 distinct until after the animal attains maturity. 



Transport. — Deer with soft velvety horns should not, if possible, 

 be selected for transport, unless perfectly tame and quiet, and the cage 

 well padded ; those with mature horns should have their antlers 

 sawn off to within an inch of the burr. For large and valuable 

 animals like the wapite the box should be padded inside ; exposure to 

 midday heat of the sun should, as much as possible, be avoided in all 

 cases. The difficulty, however, is to secure a deer for transport, especially 

 when a great many of them remain loose in a large parklike paddock, 

 enjoying almost as much freedom as in their wild state, without the 

 attendant risk. The safest method, though dilatory, is to decoy them 

 into the retiring room of the shed ; but the animals are extremely 

 suspicious and wary, detecting danger with marvellous quickness, and 

 constantly the artifice fails. To coerce them is dangerous, causing loss 

 of limb or life of one or the other of them. Strong netting made of 

 loosely twisted hempen rope may be successfully employed in catching 

 the hinds, which generally give most trouble. If time permits, a space 

 about 10 feet by 5 feet, or larger if required, may be enclosed round 

 the usual feeding place of the animals ; the work should progress 

 piecemeal, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the animals : much of 

 the success will, of course, depend upon the way the trap-door works. 

 Wood is no doubt the best material to build such a trap with, but if 

 iron fencing be used, bundles of paddy, straw, or hay may be strung 

 together to form a rough screen, and hung round as padding. 



Treatment in sickness. 



Deer are subject to all the ailments already mentioned as being 

 common to other ruminants. 



