Chital 



out Bengal and Orissa, the North-West Provinces, Central India, Mysore, 

 Malabar, and Ceylon, in all suitable localities. It ascends the hills of 

 Southern India, in places to about 3500 or 4000 feet." 



Habits. — This species being the only distinctly spotted deer inhabiting 

 India, it is natural that the natives of that country should have taken note 

 of that feature in naming the animal ; the Hindustani name chital, or 

 chitra, meaning spotted, and being met with under the same or a nearly 

 similar form in the vernacular title of the spotted soft river-tortoises 

 (chitra), and the leopard (chita). This beautifully spotted coat renders 

 the chital one of the most lovely members of the whole deer tribe ; and it 

 is not a little remarkable that almost all the countries of the Old World 

 where deer are found have one spotted species or group, as if to remind us 

 of the beautiful coloration which was doubtless formerly common to the 

 entire family. In the Mediterranean countries we have the two species of 

 fallow deer, in China and Japan the sikas, and in India the chital. Not 

 only is the spotted deer one of the handsomest of all Indian mammals, but 

 it is likewise one of the most characteristic, being, as already mentioned, 

 unknown in the countries lying to the eastward of the Bay of Bengal, and 

 having certainly been an inhabitant of the peninsula since the time when 

 the latter was connected with Ceylon. 



In marked contrast to the para, the chital is an essentially social species, 

 congregating in herds, which sometimes include hundreds of individuals, 

 and always at least one fully-antlered buck. Even in their native haunts 

 they are much less exclusively nocturnal than the sambar, and may fre- 

 quently be seen on the move for several hours after sunrise, and also some 

 time before sunset ; while when transported to English parks they will 

 feed at any hour. The neighbourhood of water is essential to the well- 

 being of this species, and if this be at hand, as well as covert for shelter, 

 chital may be found either on the open plains or in hilly ground. Their 

 partiality for water leads them to frequent spots where the foliage is of the 

 most luxuriant ; and no more beautiful sight can be witnessed in any part 

 of the world than a herd of Indian spotted deer feeding on an open grassy 

 glade dotted over with clumps of feathery bamboo by the side of a stream. 

 Bamboo-jungle, and covert of other bushes and trees in the neighbourhood 

 of water are, indeed, their favourite haunts ; and if the covert is sufficiently 

 dense and abundant, they display no marked aversion to the near neighbour- 



