XXVI 
THE HOG-DEER 
3Si 
they can seldom be seen distinctly, owing to the 
great height of the grass, through which they rush 
at a tremendous pace when kicked up by the 
advance of beaters. I am not ashamed to use 
buck-shot, or B.B. in one barrel of my Paradox 
gun, which is admirably adapted for a snap-shot. 
When fired at, if wounded, or even if missed, the 
hog-deer will sometimes rush forward for 50 or 100 
yards, and then squat, to conceal itself in the 
dense grass. It will lie perfectly close until the 
elephants arrive within a few feet, and then start 
off at its usual extraordinary pace. 
In some of the churs of the Brahmaputra there 
are great numbers of these deer, and now that the 
tigers have been almost extirpated, I have no 
doubt they will increase. Although the hog-deer 
cannot be said to afford great sport, it much enlivens 
the day, and it is excellent practice for the nerves of 
elephants, as it keeps them upon the strain for hours 
together when marching through the grass. 
There is a species of deer in Japan which closely 
resembles the fallow-deer of Europe, excepting the 
difference of antlers. The Japanese variety is not 
palmated, but round, like those of the red-deer ; they 
have four points upon each horn, i.e. the brow, and 
two tines in addition to the extreme point. I have 
several specimens in my possession which I pro¬ 
cured in Japan, but I did not myself shoot them, 
although I accompanied the native hunters among 
the mountains bordering Lake Biwa upon several 
occasions. 
