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Show 1867.] LIEUT. R. C. BEAVAN ON THE PANOLIA DEER. 765- youth upwards and is now an elderly man, tells me that in former years, before Martaban was taken by the British, the Thamyn were much more abundant than they are now, and that the natives used to destroy them wholesale at battues. A large number of men would assemble from the surrounding villages, and gradually encircle three or four moderate-sized herds with long strings, upon which plantain- leaves were tied so as to flutter in the wind. The circle, originally formed at some distance, was gradually lessened as the deer, afraid to pass the scarecrows, got gradually driven together, until they were completely surrounded and at the mercy of the hunters. The object was to get them into a corner near the heavy jungle, into which, if they attempted to run, they either became entangled or allowed their pursuers to get up quite close. As many as 150 to 200, m y informant tells me, he has himself seen killed in one battue in former years. To such a length was this system carried, and such enormous havoc was thereby created, that the Burmese Government, fearing the species would he utterly exterminated, wisely put a stop to the practice. This shikarry informed me that twenty-five years ago he has seen as many as 500 head in one herd; and his account was confirmed by others. At the present day vast mounds of their bones in every stage of decay exist on the Thatong plain, the site of many a battue in former times. The value of a whole carcass then was only 4 annas, or | tical weight of Burmese silver, equivalent to 8 or 10 annas of our coinage at the present day ! Several intelligent men are living now in the vicinity of Thatong and Yengyaing who formerly took part in these wholesale slaughterings, and, like many others of the present generation, are apt to look back fondly to those good old times. These battues or kyowine were preceded by all sorts of ceremonies and sacrificial rites, offerings being previously made to ensure success to the tutelary nats or deities of the woods and plains. In addition to these battues, and the recent increase of cultivation and population, we may account for their gradual decrease by the great increase that has taken place of late years in the number and use of firearms. Nearly every Burman can shoot, and a large proportion have each their matchlock or cheap gun. It is excessively difficult to catch the Thamyn alive, even a young one, owing to the open nature of the country they frequent; and several officers in the Burmese commission have for some time past been endeavouring, without success, to procure young individuals of both sexes for the Zoological Society of London. Major Tickell, as narrated by Blyth, had one alive for some time in Moulmein; but it was eventually killed by pariah dogs, who got into its enclosure at night. M y informant, the shikarry, tells me he had one also tame some years since; He caught it when about three months old, fed it on milk at first, afterwards on grass and plantain-leaves. After a short time it became so tame that it would follow its owner about, and never attempt to leave the dwellings of man. After an interval of two years it got a small pair of horns, shaped like those of the adult, but much smaller^ and afterwards, like most |