Indian Muntjac 207 



deer, the appellations of barking-deer, jungle-sheep, and red hog-deer ; 

 the latter being apparently confined to Ceylon, while jungle-sheep, which 

 is also applied to the four-horned antelope, is employed in Southern 

 India. 



The muntjac, like so many of the smaller deer, is a non-gregarious 

 species, generally found solitary, although associating at certain seasons of 

 the year in pairs. Very rarely have four, or even three, been seen in 

 company. Its movements in covert are cautious and stealthy, the animal 

 carrying its head low, and creeping among tangled thickets or under fallen 

 timber, with the hind-quarters elevated. In running, the same postures are 

 adopted, but when walking quickly the legs are slowly lifted in a peculiarly 

 deliberate manner. These deer are seldom seen outside thick covert, which 

 they only leave to feed on the grass in the immediate outskirts or in 

 artificial clearings. A peculiarity, probably shared by the other members 

 of the genus, is the great length of the tongue, which can be protruded to 

 such an extent that the whole face is capable of being licked. In spite of 

 their very small size the antlers of the bucks appear to be shed annually, 

 falling in May, and being replaced by August. Although in some districts 

 at least the fawns appear to be produced at any time, the regular pairing- 

 time in Northern India is mainly during January and February, six months 

 after which the young make their appearance in the world ; either one or 

 two being produced at a birth. 



The hoarse, barking cry from which the species derives one of its 

 popular names is loud, and uttered both during the pairing-season, and 

 under the influence of alarm. Morning and evening are the usual times when 

 this call is heard echoing through the stillness of the jungle, but it is some- 

 times uttered after dark, and in the cold season in Burma Mr. Blanford has 

 heard it in the afternoon. In fighting, the bucks make use of their long 

 upper canine teeth as their principal, if not sole, weapons of attack and 

 defence. In captivity Mr. Sterndale states that muntjacs are coarse feeders, 

 eagerly devouring any kind of meat that may be offered them. Neverthe- 

 less, their flesh is of excellent quality, far superior to that of most Indian 

 deer. 



At Woburn Abbey muntjacs are allowed to run wild in some of the 

 coverts, where they thrive well, although of course they are but seldom 

 seen except during a beat. 



