334 
THE  MUSK-DEER. 
difference  of  food,  climate,  or  situation,  as  far  as  my  experience 
goes,  does  not  at  all  affect  the  quality. 
Erom  the  first  high  ridge  above  the  plains,  to  the  limits  of 
forest  on  the  snowy  range,  and  for  perhaps  the  whole  length  of 
the  chain  of  the  Himalayas,  the  musk-deer  may  be  found  upon 
every  hill  of  an  elevation  above  8,000  feet,  which  is  clothed  with 
forest.  On  the  lower  ranges  it  is  comparatively  a  rare  animal, 
being  confined  to  near  the  summits  of  the  highest  hills,  as  we  ap- 
proach the  colder  forests  near  the  snow  ;  but  it  is  nowhere  par- 
ticularly numerous  ;  and  its  retired  and  solitary  habits  make  it 
appear  still  more  rare  than  it  really  is.  Exclusively  a  forest 
animal,  it  inhabits  all  kinds  of  forest  indiscriminately,  from  the 
oaks  of  the  lower  hills  to  the  stunted  bushes  near  the  limits  of 
vegetation.  If  we  may  judge  from  their  numbers,  the  preference 
seems  to  be  given  to  the  birch  forests,  where  the  underwood  con- 
sists chiefly  of  the  white  rhododendron  and  juniper. 
In  many  respects  they  are  not  unlike  hares  in  habits  and  econo- 
my. Each  individual  selects  some  particular  spot  for  its  favorite 
retreat,  about  which  it  remains  still  and  at  rest  throughout  the 
day,  leaving  it  in  the  evening  to  search  for  food,  or  to  wander 
about,  returning  soon  after  daylight.  They  will  occasionally  rest 
for  the  day  in  any  place  where  they  may  happen  to  be  in  the 
morning,  but  in  general  they  return  to  near  the  same  spot  almost 
every  day,  making  forms  in  different  quarters  of  their  retreat  a 
little  distance  from  each  other,  and  visiting  them  in  turn.  Some- 
times they  will  lie  under  the  same  tree  01  bush  for  weeks  together. 
They  make  forms  in  the  same  manner  as  hares,  levelling  with  their 
feet  a  spot  large  enough  for  the  purpose  if  the  ground  is  too 
sloping.  They  seldom,  if  ever,  lie  in  the  sun,  even  in  the  cold- 
est weather,  and  their  forms  are  always  made  where  there  is 
something  to  shelter  them  from  its  rays.  Towards  evening  they 
begin  to  move,  and  during  the  night  appear  to  wander  about  a 
good  deal,  from  top  to  bottom  of  the  hill,  or  from  one  side  to 
another.  The  Puharries  believe  that  they  come  to  such  places 
to  play  and  dance  with  each  other,  and  often  set  their  snares 
along  the  edge  of  such  a  ledge  or  precipice,  in  preference  to  the 
forest. 
If  not  walking  leisurely  and  slowly  along,  the  musk-deer  always 
goes  in  bounds,  all  fours,  leaving  and  alighting  on  the  ground 
