Chapter XI: Indian Shooting (6)

To be successful with stags during the calling season, the sportsman should be on his ground as soon as it is light. The stags are moving about all night, and soon after sunrise they retire into the forest, where, unless they keep on calling, it is almost impossible to find them. This, of course, refers to the open ground at the top of the hills. Ward prefers the lower ground in the pine forest, from 8,000 to 9,000 ft. above the sea level, as he says the stags there seem to settle down into certain spots and remain there for days together. The writer’s own experience is that the upper ground is best when the stags first begin calling, as they all seem to collect there, and that later on, about October 1, when there has often been a slight snowfall on the top of the hills, and the frost at night is beginning to tell, the stags should be followed down into the forest. But as different valleys vary so much, according to whether the deer remain in them during the winter or are merely passing through, no general rule applies to all. Hunting the upper ground as long as the stags are on it is undoubtedly far pleasanter than creeping about in the forest down below, and in the gloom of the pines the chances are very much against the stalker. Stags may occasionally be shot by waiting for them at some favourite soiling or drinking pool, and it is by no means a bad thing to try if the pool is in thick forest and some distance from other water. The most likely time to see anything is about 4 P.M., when the deer begin to draw out. Waiting over salt-licks and water at night is an abomination, like all other night shooting. As a rule, you do more harm than good by disturbing the ground, and if you do get a shot and hit (no certain matter even in the brightest moonlight), unless the stag is dropped on the spot you run a very great risk of losing him. Barasingh are very tough beasts, and an ill-placed bullet is not much use. It is very difficult to know what to do when (as often happens) the stags will not call till just before dark. If this happens among the pine forests, any attempt at night shooting is almost sure to end in failure; and even on the high open ground the chances are so much against the sportsman that it should only be tried if every other plan fails. Patient tracking and watching over likely glades for a stag to draw out on are far more effective in bringing eventual success. The two main points to be remembered during a stalk are, first, to try and get a clear chance at about sixty yards, and not creep up too close to the stag before firing; secondly, to avoid going straight downhill on to a stag. A stone dislodged, a pheasant or musk deer disturbed, will be sure to start him off. On the other hand, if the stalker is moving down sixty or seventy yards to one side, any slight contretemps does not necessarily spoil his chance of a shot. Every native shikari, if conducting a stalk, will try to land his master between the beast’s horns if possible. As soon as he sees a stag, he will begin to try to point him out, with the result that before his master can get his wind and take any aim to speak of, the beast is at full gallop down the hill. The second point never enters into a native’s calculations at all. Ward says that natives can imitate the call, and draw stags, but systematic calling as practised in the Tyrol is practically unknown in Cashmere, and a proficient in the art would undoubtedly have success. The point to aim at in calling is to pitch your note a little weaker than the answering stag, so as to give him confidence in accepting the challenge.

The stags generally cease calling towards the end of October (Ward says 20th), and after that there is little chance of getting sport till the snow drives them down, or, failing an early fall, till the spring.

Major Ward says a well-shaped 10-point head of 40 ins. should not be despised, but the majority of heads shot, according to the writer’s experience, do not average more than 37 ins.; 40 ins. and over being exceptional heads.

XXVIII. THE SIKKIM STAG (_Cervus affinis_ vel _Wallichi_)

_Native name: ‘Shou.’ Habitat: Eastern Himalayas; Thibet, in the Choombi Valley, on the Sikkim side of Thibet (Sterndale)_

None of the heads of this variety in the British Museum have more than ten points. Their colour, according to Jerdon, is a fine clear grey in winter, with a moderately large disc; pale rufous in summer, quite different from the rich mouse colour of the barasingh. Hodgson’s description of the horns is most accurate, the flatness of the brow antlers is very marked, ‘pedicles elevate; burrs rather small; two basal antlers, nearly straight, so forward in direction as to overshadow the face to the end of the nasal; larger than the royal antlers; median or royal antlers directed forwards and upwards; beam with a terminal fork, the prongs radiating laterally and equally, the inner one longest and thinnest.’ There is an enormous head in the British Museum, the two brow antlers of which bend downwards on each side. As in the case of the barasingh, the second brow antler, or bez, is always longer than the first.

As regards the allied maral stag of Persia and Turkestan, Major Cumberland, in his letters published by ‘Land and Water,’ 1891, writes that the Turkestan name for the stag is ‘bōghè,’ the hind being called ‘maral.’ This deer resembles the red stag, in that the brow antler is longer than the bez, and the crown is more of the wapiti type.

Another variety, with horns also of the wapiti type, _Cervus Eustephanus_, was discovered by Mr. W. Blanford in the Thian Shan mountains. He describes this variety as also having the brow antler longer than the bez.

XXIX. MUSK DEER (_Moschus moschiferus_)

_Generally ‘Kastura’; Garwhal and Kumaon, ‘Bena,’ ‘Masaknaba’; Cashmere, ‘Roos,’ ‘Rous’_

This little deer is found all over the hills above an altitude of 7,000 or 8,000 ft., except in Ladak, though it is said to be plentiful in Thibet, beyond the frontier of Nepal.

Cover of some sort, bushes or timber, seems necessary for it, and the want of this is probably the reason it does not extend to Ladak. Except that district, every shooting ground of the right elevation seems to hold musk deer; and as, particularly in the autumn, they are excellent eating, a chance with a light rifle is well worth taking advantage of, unless in too close proximity to better game. The musk deer has no horns, but the male has two delicate curved tushes, growing down from the upper jaw, which are often over three inches in length outside the gums; these tushes being the only distinguishing mark between the sexes, it is very hard to tell them apart at a distance.

_Measurements_

+-----------------+------+------+----+-----+------+------+------+------+
|Authority |Height|Length|Tail|Girth|Weight|Length|Girth |Girth,|
| | at |nose | | of | as | of |above |beam |
| |shoul-|to tip| |body |shot |horns |brow |midway|
| | der |of | | | | |antler| |
| | |tail | | | | | | |
+-----------------+------+------+----+-----+------+------+------+------+
| | CERVUS CASHMIRIANUS |
| | ins. | ins. |ins.|ins. | lbs. | ins. | ins. | ins. |
|Dr. Leith Adams | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 48 | .. | .. |A
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | .. | .. |.. | .. | .. | 47 | 7¾ | .. |B
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | 49½ | .. | .. | .. | 400 | .. | .. | .. |C
| | | | | | | | | |
|Sir E. G. Loder, | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 47 | 6¾ | .. |D
| Bart. | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 46 | 8 | .. |E
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|‘Oriental }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 46 | .. | 7 |F
| Sporting }| | | | | | | | |
| Magazine,’ 1870}| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Sir V. Brooke | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 45⅝ | 6 | .. |G
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Hume Collection,}| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 45⅞ | 8 | .. |H
|British Museum }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Hon. C. Ellis | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 43⅞ | 5⅞ | .. |I
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 43⅜ | 6½ | .. |J
| | | | | | | | | |
|Hume Collection,}| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 43¼ | 6½ | .. |K
| British Museum}| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Dr. Falconer, }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 43 | 5⅞ | .. |L
| Brit. Mus. }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Mr. M. Kennard | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 43 | 5⅞ | .. |M
| | | | | | | | | |
|Gen. Macintyre | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 42 | .. | 7¼ |N
| | | | | | | | | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 42 | 5⅞ | .. |O
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Major Greenaway | 52 | 81 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |P
| | | | | | | | | |
|The Writer | 47 | 85 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |Q
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 36¾ | .. | .. |R
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 35½ | 5½ | .. |S
| | | | | | | | | |
|Sterndale, }|48 to |84 to | 5 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |T
| ‘Mammalia’ }| 52 | 90 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Average of }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 37 | 6 | .. |U
| good head }| | | | | | | | |
| | CERVUS AFFINIS |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 55¾ | 6½ | .. |V
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 55¼ | 8½ | 7¼ |W
| | | | | | | | | |
|Lord Northbrook | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 55 | 9⅛ | .. |X
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Dr. Campbell, }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 54⅜ | 6⅝ | .. |Y
|British Museum }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Dr. Jerdon }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 54 | .. | .. |Z
|quotes a head }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Mr. B. H. }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 53¾ | 6⅞ | .. |a
|Hodgson, }| | | | | | | | |
|British Museum }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Hume Collection,}| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 53¼ | 6⅞ | .. |b
|British Museum }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Col. Tanner | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 53 | 9 | .. |c
| | | | | | | | | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 52¼ | 10¼ | 6½ |d
| | | | | | | | | |
|Rowland Ward | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 52 | 8 | .. |e
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” ” |about | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |f
| | 60 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Sterndale, }|54 to |about | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |g
| ‘Mammalia’ }| 60 | 96 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | CERVUS MARAL | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 48⅝ | 6⅛ | .. |h
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 46½ | 8 | 7½ |i
| | | | | | | | | |
|Mr. E. Buxton | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 43½ | .. | .. |j
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Hume Collection,}| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 40¼ | 5½ | .. |k
|British Museum }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 35⅛ | 5½ | .. |l
| | | | | | | | | |
|Major Cumberland | 55 | .. | .. | 57½ | .. | .. | .. | .. |m
| | | | | | | | | |
| | CERVUS EUSTEPHANUS | |
|Mr. Blanford, }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 51 |10⁹⁄₁₀| .. |n
|‘Scientific }| | | | | | | | |
|Results, Second }| | | | | | | | |
|Yarkand Mission’}| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | RED DEER FROM TYROL, &c. |
|Lord }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 68 | .. | .. |o
|Powerscourt, }| | | | | | | | |
|‘Pro. Zoo. Soc.,}| | | | | | | | |
|1862’ }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Col. Howard | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 49¾ | .. | 7½ |p
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|H.R.H. Duke of }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 48½ | .. | 6 |q
| Edinburgh }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Lord A. Hay, }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 48⅛ | .. | 7¼ |r
| British Museum}| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|St. George }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 47⅝ | .. | 5½ |s
| Littledale }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Col. Howard | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 47¼ | .. | 7½ |t
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Sir V. Brooke | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 47⅛ | .. | 7¼ |u
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|St. George }| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 47 | .. | 7⅛ |v
| Littledale }| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Col. Howard | .. | .. | .. | .. | 596 | .. | .. | .. |w
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | 564 | .. | .. | .. |x
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | 544 | .. | .. | .. |y
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | 544 | .. | .. | .. |z
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | 540 | .. | .. | .. |1
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | 540 | .. | .. | .. |2
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | 516 | .. | .. | .. |3
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | 508 | .. | .. | .. |4
| | | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | .. | 500 | .. | .. | .. |5
+-----------------+------+------+----+-----+------+------+------+------+

_Measurements (continued)_

+----------+------+------+------+-----+-------+---------+--------------+
|Length |Length|Girth |Length|Splay|Widest | Points |Remarks |
| brow |bez |bez |median|at |spread | | |
| antler|antler|antler|antler|tips | +--+---+ | |
+----+ | | | | | |Inside| | |
|Burr| | | | | | | span | | |
+----+-----+------+------+------+-----+----+------+-----+--------------+
| CERVUS CASHMIRIANUS |
|ins.|ins. | ins. | ins. | ins. |ins. |ins.| ins. |ins. | |
A| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |{Sterndale, |
| | | | | | | | | |{‘Mammalia’ |
| | | | | | | | | | |
B| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 29 | 56 | .. | 13 |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | | | |{Guide’ |
| | | | | | | | | | |
C| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
D| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 21¾ | .. | 36⅜ | 5×5 |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
E| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 32 | 50 | .. | 12 |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | | | |{Guide’ |
| | | | | | | | | | |
F| 10 | 18 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
G| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 25¾ | .. | 36 | 8×8 |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
H| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 35 | .. | 41 | 6×6 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
I| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 15⅞ | .. | 32 | 5×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
J| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 25⅜ | .. | 36½ | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
K| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 18⅛ | .. | 34½ | 5×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
L| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 6¼ | .. | 27¾ | 5×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
M| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 26⅛ | .. | 37⅞ | 6×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
N| 10½| .. | .. | 5½ | .. | .. | .. | 33 | 10 |‘Hindu Koh’ |
| | | | | | | | | | |
O| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 29⅜ | .. | 33½ | 6×5 |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
P| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Q| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 10 |{Showing |
| | | | | | | | | |{normal |
R| 8 | 11¼ | 14½ | .. | .. | 25 | 35 | .. | 10 |{difference |
| | | | | | | | | |{between brow |
S| 8 | 10½ | 15½ | .. | .. | .. | 35 | .. | 10 |{& bez antlers|
| | | | | | | | | | |
T| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
U| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 6×6 | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| CERVUS AFFINIS |
V| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 17¼ | .. | 40⅜ | 7×6 |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
W| 11 | 14 | 19¼ | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 5×5 | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
X| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 6×7 |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Y| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 21⅝ | .. | 37¼ | 5×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Z| .. | .. | 12 | .. | 8 | .. | 47 | .. | .. |{Sterndale, |
| | | | | | | | | |{‘Mammalia’ |
| | | | | | | | | | |
a| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 26⅛ | .. | 44 | 5×5 |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
b| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 30 | .. | 45¾ | 4×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
c| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 40 | 5×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
d| 10⅛| 12 | 13 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 5×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
e| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
f| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
g| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| CERVUS MARAL |
h| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 38¼ | .. | 40⅞ | 6×5 |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
i| 11¼| 15½ | 14½ | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 5×5 | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
j| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 38½| .. | 14 {|‘Nineteenth |
| | | | | | | | | {|Century,’ 1891|
| | | | | | | | | | |
k| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 23¾ | .. | 31¾ | 5×5 |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
l| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 19¾ | .. | 26 | 5×5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | | | |
m| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 10 |{‘Land & |
| | | | | | | | | |{Water,’ 1891 |
| CERVUS EUSTEPHANUS |
n| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |{Girth above |
| | | | | | | | | |{burr 10½ ins.|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| RED DEER FROM TYROL, &c. | |
o| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 65 | .. | 44 |{From |
| | | | | | | | | |{Carpathians? |
| | | | | | | | | |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
p| 11¼| 18¼ | .. | .. | .. | .. | 49¾| .. | 14 |{Vienna |
| | | | | | | | | |{Exhibition |
| | | | | | | | | | |
q| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 30 | 41½| .. | 5×6 |{(Crimea) |
| | | | | | | | | |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
r| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 12 |{Single horn, |
| | | | | | | | | |{Asia Minor, |
| | | | | | | | | |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
s| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 38 | .. | .. | 6×5 |{Caucasus, |
| | | | | | | | | |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
t| 10¾| 15 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 50 | .. | 16 |{Vienna |
| | | | | | | | | |{Exhibition |
| | | | | | | | | | |
u| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 34 | .. | 41⅛ | 8×9 |{Germany, |
| | | | | | | | | |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
v| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 36 | .. | 37¾ | 6×7 |{Caucasus, |
| | | | | | | | | |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | | | |
w| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. {|Weight of best|
| | | | | | | | | {|stags killed |
| | | | | | | | | {|in last 8 or |
| | | | | | | | | {|10 years, from|
| | | | | | | | | {|Perechinko |
| | | | | | | | | | |
x| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |” Munkacs |
| | | | | | | | | | |
y| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |” Pomerania |
| | | | | | | | | | |
z| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |” Bukowina |
| | | | | | | | | | |
1| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |” Munkacs |
| | | | | | | | | | |
2| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |” Sieben Bergen
| | | | | | | | | | |
3| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |” East Prussia|
| | | | | | | | | | |
4| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |” Lower Austria
| | | | | | | | | | |
5| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |” Slavonia |
+----+-----+------+------+------+-----+----+------+-----+--------------+

The hair of the musk deer seems always loose, and comes out readily. A musk deer just grazed by a bullet (by no means an uncommon occurrence with so small a beast) seems to vanish in a cloud of hair. The male has an abdominal gland containing more or less musk according to the season, it being fullest during the rutting season in the winter; this pod is valuable (a good one is worth Rs. 5 in the jungle), and leads to the musk deer being so mercilessly snared and hunted by natives that in many districts they are almost extinct. Pine martens, wild dogs, leopards, eagles, all seem to prey upon the unhappy musk deer, and if it were not that they breed far more rapidly than other deer (according to Hodgson being able to procreate before they are a year old), they would have no chance of existence at all.

When a musk deer has been killed the pod should be cut off in the presence of the sportsman, and hung up in his tent to dry; if the shikari is allowed to meddle with it, he will probably extract the musk, and fill up the pod with rubbish. Another very common trick is for the shikari to present his master with the buck’s scrotum, and keep the pod for himself.

Musk deer are generally found alone or in pairs, and as they keep a great deal to their particular bit of ground, if one has been seen and not fired at the sportsman may nearly always rely upon finding it again near the same place. When startled this deer gives a low hiss, and as it seldom runs far without stopping to gaze, it generally affords an easy shot. Musk deer are occasionally a nuisance on barasingh ground, and the writer once lost a shot by putting up one of them just as he was getting up to a stag which was calling in the forest.

_Measurements._--Sterndale gives length about 36 ins., height about 22 ins. Major Ward, height about 22 ins., weight from 25 lbs. to 30 lbs. Colonel Kinloch says it does not stand more than 20 ins., Jerdon 22 or 23 ins.

In Garwhal and Kumaon musk deer appear to be bigger and heavier than in Cashmere.

XXX. BARKING, OR RIB-FACED DEER

(_Cervulus Aureus_, vel _Muntjac_)

_‘Kakur,’ generally throughout the Himalayas; ‘Ratwa,’ in Nepal and neighbouring states; ‘Jungli Bukra,’ in Central Provinces; ‘Muntjac,’ Sundanese_

This deerlet is found pretty generally throughout India, Burmah, Ceylon and the Malay Peninsula, wherever there are fairly high hills covered with forest. Thick cover and plenty of water seem essential to it.

Kakur are not gregarious; they are generally found in pairs, each pair seeming to keep pretty much to its own particular ravine or patch of jungle. They will often live close to villages, and feed on the crops at the edge of the jungle; they rarely venture far into the open, and invariably live close to water. Their general colour is a bright golden bay, with the lower parts white; the tail is rather long, and as the deer when galloping carries his head low and cocks his tail up, he forcibly reminds one of an old buck rabbit. The buck has horns about five inches long, set on bony pedicles about three inches high, which are covered with longish hair. In good specimens there is a small brow antler of about one inch in length, and the tips of the horns should be curved back enough to permit of the head being suspended from a cord by the hooks. The V-shaped creases on the face, from which it derives its name of rib-faced, are dark brown, and there is a dark line up the front of each pedicle. The horns appear to be shed annually. The buck has a pair of sharp stout tushes in the upper jaw, of which he can make very good use. Ward laments the loss of a valuable terrier which was killed by a wounded buck, so that it is advisable to be careful in handling one. The kakur has a peculiar resonant call, like the hoarse bark of a dog, which can be heard for a long distance; and as the buck frequently keeps on barking for some time, it will often betray its locality to the sportsman--its locality certainly, but not much else. The stalk is enlivened with song till just the critical moment, when a glimpse of the performer would be so desirable; then usually comes a dead silence--possibly the buck is waiting for the applause you so ungraciously withhold--no sign of the songster, look as you will there is nothing to be seen but bushes and stems of trees! Suddenly out of emptiness appears a flash of red surmounted with a brilliant white scut, and a derisive bark, in answer to your snap-shot, proclaims your defeat. Moreover, it behoves one to be wary when stalking a barking kakur; he may very possibly be barking at a panther, or even in some localities at a tiger, and it is as well to be careful that you do not entertain--not quite an angel unawares. Jungle warnings, such as monkeys swearing and the alarm notes of peafowl and deer, should never be lightly disregarded.

Occasionally kakur make a curious clicking noise, probably, as Kinloch suggests, with the tongue, which is very long. The writer has watched a kakur walking quietly down a sandy river-bed, clicking all the way at intervals; here certainly the hoofs could not have made the noise in sand. That buck was shot, and as the writer saw another single kakur several times afterwards not far from the same spot, it has struck him that the clicking noise might possibly be a low call from one of a pair to its mate.

In Garwhal the natives occasionally call kakur, using a split ringal cane, and making a call very similar to that used in the Tyrol for roe deer; but the writer’s experience of this class of sport is that one may sit and pipe for a long time before anything comes. Having the covers driven is also poor fun if there is only one gun, as the deer will rarely come right, almost always breaking back; and by far the pleasantest and best way of getting kakur is by strolling through the forest in the early morning and evening when, if there are any about, the sportsman is pretty sure to see or hear them.

_Measurements_

+---------------+------+-------+----+------+------+-----+------+
| |Height|Length,| |Weight|Length|Girth|Length|
| | at | head | | as | of | of | of |
| Authority |shoul-| and |Tail| shot | horns|horns| brow |
| | der | body | | | | |antler|
+---------------+------+-------+----+------+------+-----+------+
| | Remarks |
+---------------+----------------------------------------------+
| CERVULUS AUREUS |
| | ins. | ins. |ins.| lbs. | ins. |ins. | ins. |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 8 | .. |
| | ‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | 27 | .. | .. | 40 | 7½ | .. | .. |
| | ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | 26 | .. | .. | 37 | 7½ | .. | .. |
| | ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Capt. H. Brooke| .. | .. | .. | .. | 6½ | 3 | .. |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. B. H. }| .. | .. | .. | .. | 6½ | 2⅝ | .. |
|Hodgson, }| | | | | | | |
|British Museum}| Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. | .. | 6½ | 3 | .. |
| | ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | .. | 6⅛ | .. | 1½ |
| | | | | | | | |
|The Writer | .. | .. | .. | .. | 6 | .. | 1 |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | 27 | .. | .. | 44 | 6 | .. | .. |
| | ‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | 26 | .. | .. | 42 | 5½ | .. | .. |
| | ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | 26 | .. | .. | 37 | 5½ | .. | .. |
| | ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | 23 | .. | .. | 32 | .. | .. | .. |
| | A doe ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major }| 20 | 34 | 4½| 32 | .. | .. | .. |
|FitzHerbert }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Col. Kinloch |about | .. | .. | .. |about | .. | .. |
| | 18 | | | | 5 | | |
| | ‘Large Game Shooting’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sterndale’s }|26 to | about | 7 | .. | 2 to | .. | .. |
|‘Mammalia’ }| 28 | 40 | | | 5 | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Average of }| .. | .. | .. | .. | 5 | .. | 1 |
|good head }| | | | | | | |
+---------------+------+-------+----+------+------+-----+------+

XXXI. THE LARGE WILD SHEEP OF INDIA

(_Oves Poli, Ammon, &c._)

In Central and Northern Asia there were at one time no fewer than eight recognised varieties of giant wild sheep, viz. _O. Poli_, _O. Karelini_, _O. Heinsi_, _O. nigrimontana_, _O. Ammon_, _O. Hodgsonii_, _O. Brookei_, _O. nivicola_.

Mr. W. T. Blanford, however, after inspecting a magnificent collection of heads, made by Hon. C. Ellis, which exhibit every gradation of curve between the two extreme types, declared in his paper to the Zoological Society in 1884 that he considered _O. Poli_ and _O. Karelini_ to be practically the same species, and the formidable list may be further reduced from a sportsman’s view by massing the varieties into three broad types, viz:

1. _O. Poli_ with its little known varieties, _O. Heinsi_, and _O. nigrimontana_; for though these appear to differ somewhat in size (_O. nigrimontana_ being a comparatively small animal), their horns are of the same wide-spreading type.

2. _O. Ammon_, _O. Hodgsonii_ and _O. Brookei_; the difference between the first two is very trifling, and _O. Brookei_ is considered by some authorities to be possibly a hybrid between _O. Hodgsonii_ and _O. Vignei_ (Shapoo).

3. _O. nivicola_, which more nearly resembles _O. montana_ (the Bighorn of the Rocky Mountains).

The first type is found, according to M. Severtzoff, only in Turkestan, from the Pamir through the Thian Shan range as far eastwards as Tengri Khan; its varieties being located as follows: _O. Heinsi_ in the Tockmack district west of Tengri Khan; _O. nigrimontana_ in Karatan, near Samarcand.

The second type is not found in Turkestan. Its range is the Altai from Tengri Khan as far eastward as the sea of Baikal, and then southwards by the sources of the Hoang-ho and Yang-se-kiang rivers down to Ladak and the southern frontier of Thibet.

The third type is found in Kamtchatka.

In colour all these sheep are much the same; generally a rather rich greyish brown fading to greyish white towards the tail and belly, with, in the ram, a greyish white ruff on the neck. This is the chief distinguishing mark of a ram _Ovis Ammon_ at a distance, the ewe having a brown neck; in fact, the ram looks as if his thoughtful spouse had insisted on his wearing a white comforter for fear of catching cold. The horns of the ram, large as they are, are of such a pale colour as to be hardly distinguishable in certain lights at long distances. The _Ovis Poli_ appears to have little or no ruff, but has a dark line down the back, which the _Ovis Ammon_ has not, and has also a more clearly defined white anal disc.

_Measurements_