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Show 760 LIEUT. R. C. BEAVAN ON THE PANOLIA DEER. [June 27, where I have found them and where not. As far as I know they do not occur to the south of Moulmein ; but from within a short distance of Thabyoo Point, the south-western headland of the Marta-ban district, to Sittang, bounded to the eastward by the forest line, they are found in large herds. Again, on the opposite side of the Sittang River, to the south and west of Pegu, they are also found in large numbers. How far they extend in a westerly and northerly direction, from the mouth of the Rangoon River, and in the Bassein district, I do not know; but I have heard that they are common even as high up as Munneepore. " From Pegu to the north they are found in very small parties, the ground not suiting them until you cross the • Koon' creek or river, the separating boundary between the Martaban and Thounghoo districts, and from this to within a few miles of Thounghoo they occur in large herds. " Sometimes the plains or open spaces between the ' Eng*'-forests will be covered with them, and three or four hundred may be seen at one time. Under these circumstances they are shy and very difficult to approach. Strange to say, although the ground appears quite as favourable for thein, I have never seen a single one to the eastward of the Sittang River, north of Sittang. From the above you will see that in habits they are gregarious. During the night and early morning and evening they frequent the plains, and where the forest jungle is not distant they retire into it during the heat of the day. " Their food, I imagine, consists of grass. I cannot call to mind having seen more than one fawn with its mother. " The colour of the young, as well as that of the females, is what is termed light fawn-colour. The males are sometimes of the same, and sometimes as dark as the male of the Sambur (Cervus hippelaphus). I know not if any change takes place in their coats with the change of seasons." Colonel D. Brown, Officiating Commissioner at Moulmein, has noticed them to range along both banks of the Irrawaddy, on the proper right bank up to Meanoung, and on the left bank as far as Meaday on the British frontier, N. lat. 19° 40', E. long. 95° 20' (approximately). He has also observed them as plentiful at Theeg-wen near Bassein, a few at Padoung opposite Prome, and more sparsely scattered through the Thanawaddy district. For most of the following information I am indebted to the courtesy of J. Davis, Esq., Superintendent of Police in the Martaban district, an officer well known for his intimate acquaintance with the Burmese language; hence his services as interpreter were invaluable when Burmese and Karen shikarees had to be questioned. Pioneered by him, early in October last, I visited the haunts of the Thamyn near Thatone (a town about forty miles north-west of Moulmein); and although, owing to the dense nature of the vegetation covering the plains at that time of year, I was only able to see * Dipterocarpus grandifolia, Wall., " Wood-Oil-tree," Mason's ' Burmah,'edit. 1860, p. 493. |