ai; _Meru_, Mahrathi; _Ma-oo_,
Gondi; _Kadavi_ or _Kadaba_, Canarese; _Kannadi_, Telegu; _Ghous_
or _Gaoj_, Eastern Bengal, the female _Bholongi_ (_Jerdon_); _Schap_,
Burmese (_Blyth_); _Gona-rusa_, Singhalese (_Kellaart_).

HABITAT.--Throughout India from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin;
through Assam round to the east of the Bay of Bengal, down through
Burmah to the Malay peninsula; it is also found in Ceylon.

[Illustration: _Rusa Aristotelis_.]

DESCRIPTION.--The sambar stag is a grand animal, with fine erect
carriage, heavily maned neck, and with massive horns of the rusine
type. In size it is considerably larger than the red deer, and, though
its horns are not so elegant, it is in its _tout ensemble_ quite as
striking an animal. In colour it is dark brown, somewhat slaty in
summer; the chin, inside of limbs and tail, and a patch on the
buttocks yellowish or orange yellow. The head of the sambar is very
fine; the eye large and full, with immense eye-pits, which can be
almost reversed or greatly dilated during excitement. The ears are
large and bell-shaped, and the throat surrounded by a shaggy
mane--truly a noble creature. The female and young are lighter.

SIZE.--A large stag will stand 14 hands at the withers, the length
of the body being from 6 to 7 feet; tail about a foot; ears 7 to 8
inches. The average size of horns is about 3 feet, but some are
occasionally found over 40 inches. Jerdon says: "some are recorded
4 feet along the curvature; the basal antler 10 to 12 inches or more."
A very fine pair, with skull, in my own collection, which I value
much, show the following measurements: right horn, 45 inches; left
horn, 43 inches; brow antler from burr to tip, 18-1/4 inches
circumference; just above the burr, 9 inches; circumference half-way
up the beam, 7-1/4 inches. On the right horn underneath the tres-tine
is an abnormal snag 9 inches long. The left horn has an indication
of a similar branch, there being a small point, which I have no doubt
would have been more fully developed had the animal lived another
year.

I have had no experience of deer-shooting in the regions inhabited
by the Kashmir and Sikim stags, which are approximate to our English
red deer; but no sportsman need wish for a nobler quarry than a fine
male sambar.

As I write visions of the past rise before me--of dewy mornings ere
the sun was up; the fresh breeze at daybreak, and the waking cry of
the koel and peacock, or the call of the p