SIZE OF ANTLERS. 
length, spread and thickness. In central India they are, as a 
rule, larger than those of the southern districts. I believe the 
largest recorded, measured forty-eight inches/ but anders of 
from thirty-five to thirty-eight inches are magnificent trophies ; 
the largest pair I possess are forty-one and a half inches long, 
thirty-eight and a half inches spread,, beam six and three 
quarters in girth half way up the horn, and eight and a half 
inches in girtii at the base. The brow antler also varies 
much in length. The horns of the sambur almost invariably 
have three tines on each, but an abnormal small tine is 
occasionally found, 
I have recorded in my journals, between 1855 and 1S69 
the deaths of tw^o hundred and ninety-five sambur ; some of 
the finest of these stags I had known for two or three years 
before I was able to obtain their heads as trophies. I used to 
amuse myself by giving them names, and the following 
extracts from the journals describe the deaths of some of the 
finest. r 
A coid frosty morning was that of the i8th of December, 
1S57, and die sun was stiil in bed w^hen I peered over the 
crags down into Nield Field. The telescope travelled slowly 
over the long green slopes, every nook and corner was care- 
fully examined ; " not a thing out," 1 exclaimed, as i rose up 
and shut up the glass. Francis, however, did not rise, but 
shading his eyes with his hand gazed intently at something 
out in the Field. "Look." he said, at the foot of that rhodo- 
dendron tree beyond the open ridge of the hill below, and 
you will see such a stag ! " It took me some time to find the 
^ Blandford .) mentions these, but says •* the girth at mid- beam was 
only 6 inches, others not so long have had a girth 8.25 inches half way 
up the beam, and 8-5 in horns 41 inches long." 
