CERVUS MUNTJAK. 
returns, if the pursuit be continued, the Kidang thrusts its head into a thicket, and 
in this situation remains fixed and motionless, as in a place of security, and regard- 
less of the approach of the sportsmen. If it remains unobserved, it is still unwilling 
to quit its haunts ; and experienced hunters, acquainted with its natural disposition, 
after an unsuccessful pursuit, return the following day, and in many cases find the 
Kidang near the same spot. 
The chace of the Kidang, by means of dogs, affords occasionally a favourite 
amusement to the natives of rank in Java. Many of these, especially in the more 
distant provinces, keep large packs for this purpose, which are regularly trained. 
The dogs, vulgarly denominated pariahs, are the indigenous breed of the Island, in 
a state of imperfect domestication : there are several varieties ; one of these greatly 
resembles the Sumatran dog, of which a description, accompanied by a figure, is 
given by General Hardwicke, in the Xlllth Volume of the Transactions of the 
Linnean Society : the body is lank, and the ears erect j they are ferocious in their 
disposition, and rarely shew any attachment to their masters. The natives of Java, 
like other Mahomedans, entertain prejudices unfavourable to dogs ; they rarely treat 
them with kindness, or allow them to approach their persons; and it is only in extra- 
ordinary instances, or when they contribute to their amusement, that they feed or 
care for them ; generally they are ill treated, and left to provide for themselves, so 
that their famishing condition is disgusting to Europeans. Many of these dogs are 
extremely ardent and courageous in the pursuit of the Kidang: when the chace 
commences, they are led with a line by an attendant to the spot ; the peculiar exha- 
lations soon discover the Kidang ; the dogs are discharged, and commence the pursuit 
with great ardour, while the sportsman follows more deliberately, and generally 
when he comes up with them, finds the dogs at bay with the Kidang. The male 
animal possesses a great share of courage, and with its tusks makes a most vigorous 
defence ; many dogs are wounded in the attack ; the sportsmen uniformly are pro- 
vided with remedies and applications, and by a simple suture attempt to unite those 
wounds which are not immediately fatal : in this operation they frequently succeed, 
and preserve their most valuable dogs; but in many cases the Kidang makes fatal 
lacerations in the neck and breast, or lays open the abdomen. But although 
possessed of great courage, the life of the Kidang is not tenacious, and the sports- 
man on arriving at the spot, generally dispatches it with small shot. The natives 
of the more distant districts are in the habit of bringing their best dogs to the 
capitals, on occasion of their half-yearly attendance, to perform the feudal services to 
the Sovereigns, when their sports afford an occasional amusement to the European 
inhabitants. 
