THE  MUSK-DEER. 
together.  When  at  full  speed,  these  bounds  are  sometimes  astonish- 
ing for  so  small  an  animal.  On  a  gentle  slope  I  have  seen  thera 
clear  a  space  of  more  than  sixty  feet  at  a  single  bound,  for  several 
successive  leaps,  and  spring  over  bushes  of  considerable  height 
at  the  same  time.  They  are  very  sure-footed,  and  although  a 
forest  animal,  in  travelling  over  rocky  and  precipitous  ground, 
have  perhaps  no  equal.  Where  even  the  burrell  is  obliged  to 
move  slowly  and  carefully,  the  musk-deer  bounds  quickly  and 
fearlessly ;  and  although  I  have  often  driven  them  on  to  rocks 
which  I  thought  it  impossible  they  could  cross,  they  have  in- 
variably found  a  way  in  some  direction,  and  I  never  knew  an 
instance  of  one  missing  its  footing,  or  falling,  unless  wounded. 
They  eat  but  little  compared  to  other  ruminating  animals,  at 
least  one  would  imagine  so  from  the  small  quantity  found  in  their 
stomachs,  the  contents  of  which  are  always  in  such  a  pulpy  state, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  tell  what  food  they  prefer.  I  have  often 
shot  them  whilst  feeding,  and  found  in  the  mouth  or  throat  various 
kinds  of  shrubs  and  grasses,  and  often  the  long  white  moss  that 
hangs  so  luxuriantly  from  the  trees  in  the  higher  forests.  Roots 
also  seem  to  form  a  portion  of  their  food,  as  they  scratch  holes 
in  the  ground,  like  many  of  the  hill  pheasants.  The  Puharries 
believe  that  the  males  kill  and  eat  snakes,  and  feed  upon  the 
leaves  of  the  "kedar  patta,"  a  small  and  very  fragrant  smelling 
laurel,  and  that  the  musk  is  produced  by  this  food.  They  may 
probably  eat  the  leaf  of  this  laurel,  amongst  other  shrubs,  but 
from  the  few  occasions  upon  which  I  have  seen  this  laurel  stripped 
of  any  portion  of  its  leaves,  it  does  not  appear  to  afford  a  very 
favorite  repast.    Their  killing  snakes  is  doubtless  quite  fabulous. 
The  young  are  born  either  in  June  or  July,  and  almost  every 
female  brings  forth  yearly,  and  often  twins.  These  are  always 
deposited  in  separate  places  some  distance  from  each  other,  the 
dam  herself  keeping  apart  from  both,  and  only  visiting  to  give 
them  suck.  Should  a  young  one  be  caught,  its  bleating  will  some- 
times bring  the  old  one  to  the  spot,  but  I  never  knew  an  instance 
of  one  being  seen  abroad  with  its  dam,  or  of  two  young  ones 
being  seen  together.  Their  solitary  habits  are  innate,  for  if  a 
fawn  is  taken  young  and  suckled  by  a  sheep  or  goat,  it  will  not 
for  some  time  associate  with  its  foster-dam,  but  as  soon  as  satis- 
fied with  sucking,  seeks  some  spot  for  concealment.   It  is  amusing 
