Chapter XI: Indian Shooting (9)

Gooral may occasionally be driven, but far the pleasantest and most sportsmanlike way of hunting them is to walk slowly along the top of a ridge, carefully examining every ravine and patch of likely ground. Where gooral are at all plentiful it is almost impossible to take too much pains. The beasts often lie down under overhanging boulders and turn up suddenly in the most unexpected fashion on ground where you thought you had examined every inch, and as surely as you become careless so surely will you hear a hiss and see a beast dash down the hill at whom you might have got an easy shot had you not relaxed your attention.

The comparative measurements of European chamois are given by Colonel Howard as follows:

Good bucks weigh from 45 lbs. to 60 lbs. broken up. Extraordinary ones reach 70 lbs. and over.

+--------------+-------------+-----+-----+
|Length of horn|Perpendicular|Girth|Splay|
| | measurement | | |
+--------------+-------------+-----+-----+
| ins. | ins. | ins.| ins.|
| 11¼ | 7¾ | 3½ | 6½ |
| 10⅜ | .. | 3½ | 4 |
+--------------+-------------+-----+-----+

These two heads are exceptionally fine; the two next heads are good, but not extraordinary.

+--------------+-------------+-----+-----+
|Length of horn|Perpendicular|Girth|Splay|
| | measurement | | |
+--------------+-------------+-----+-----+
| ins. | ins. | ins.| ins.|
| 9¼ | .. | 3¼ | 6¼ |
| 9¼ | 6½ | 3½ | 4 |
+--------------+-------------+-----+-----+

There are two more varieties of gooral in the British Museum: the long-tailed gooral from China, which is about the same size as an Indian gooral, but rather more yellow in colour. It has a tail of long brown hair reaching to its hocks, that of the one in the British Museum measuring 17 ins. to the tips of the hair. The Japanese gooral is a delightful beast, and exactly what one would expect from such a quaint country. Its coat is like that of a Langour monkey, long, soft, grey hair, tipped with brown; it has a white ruff on its throat and cheeks, a brown face, and rather rounded brown ears--altogether it looks like a goat-monkey. The horns are the same shape as those of the Indian gooral.

XLII. SEROW (_Nemorhædus bubalinus_)

_Gurwhal, ‘Serow’; Sutlej Valley, ‘Imu’; Cashmere, ‘Ramoo,’ ‘Halj,’ ‘Salabhir’; Chamba, ‘Goa,’ ‘Jhangal’_

The serow is a heavily built, awkward looking animal, intensely ugly, suggesting a cross between a donkey and a cow, with a wild-looking bristly black mane, large coarse ears, horns like those of a gooral, only bigger; its general colour is black on the back and head, the muzzle being dirty white; the sides, forearms and thighs are of bright red clay colour, the under parts and legs being white; when seen first, it looks all red and black, and its wild uncanny appearance accords well with the gloomy tangled precipitous ravines it frequents.

It is found thinly scattered along the whole of the southern slopes of the Himalayas, from Cashmere down past Sikkim, to the Burmo-Chinese frontier, but apparently does not cross the snow-line, probably on account of absence of forest on the northern side. Precipitous rocks and their accompanying caves it likes, but forest it must have, and the thicker and more tangled the better. A gloomy damp ravine below a waterfall, the sides mere walls of rock and the bed choked with rank vegetation, is the place where its tracks are oftenest found. The beast itself is rarely seen. It appears to live generally alone; a female with a three-quarter-grown young one may be found together, but rarely two full-grown beasts. Major Greenaway saw three serow in one day, in the Sindh Valley in 1871, two of them together, and one alone, and got shots at all of them, but only bagged one. But this was exceptional luck. Most men who have shot for some years in the hills, have seen one or two serow, but rarely more, and getting a shot at one is generally looked upon as a lucky fluke. Besides being scarce, serow are uncommonly wary, and are said by natives to travel for miles if disturbed.

Colonel Kinloch is one of the very few people who have laid themselves out to hunt serow, and his experiences are scarcely encouraging, though Ward says that in the winter months serow can be found with comparative ease in the Sindh Valley, in Cashmere. The serow seems, like sambur, to be nocturnal in its habits, and its discordant scream is often to be heard after dark in Gurwhal, where it is comparatively plentiful.

The serow’s chief accomplishment is the way that he can gallop down a steep hill, and as he invariably takes that course when disturbed, he can be easily driven, provided the ground is well known. All writers agree that a wounded one will charge. Kinloch mentions having heard of an unwounded male charging when its mate was shot, and Ward gives a graphic account of an adventure he had with one. Mr. O. Shaw shot a serow with a white mane in Cashmere. There are two more varieties of this capricorn described in Sterndale’s ‘Natural History of India.’ The first is the Arakanese capricorn, found in Arakan, Pegu, the Malayan Peninsula, and Sumatra.

This is a brown beast with a yellow bay throat, black forelegs, and bay hind ones. The description is rather vague, and Blyth’s note--‘This species varies much in colour from red to black, and the black sometimes with a white nape, or the hairs of the nape may be white at the base only’--does not explain matters very clearly to an unscientific reader. The second variety is the Thibetan capricorn, discovered by Abbé David, in Eastern Thibet.

This differs from the Indian serow by the uniform blackish brown of the upper parts, tending to ferruginous on the thighs, and the red colour in place of the grey on the lower parts of the legs.

XLIII. TAKIN (_Budorcas taxicolor_)

_Native name: ‘Takin,’ ‘Takhon’_

This curious animal, which is found just outside British limits in the Mishmi and Akha hills, north of Assam, and in Eastern Thibet, is a kind of large serow; but its horns, instead of being sharp upright spikes like those of the serow and gooral, are more of the bovine type, being rounded, smooth, and with the distinctive wrinkles and longitudinal marks of genus Nemorhædus faintly defined. Their peculiar twist is best explained by the accompanying sketch.

An article in Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia of India,’ signed ‘J. C.,’ thus describes the animal:

The takin is a large, heavily built ruminant, about 3 ft. 6 ins.
high at the shoulder, and 6 ft. in total length. The external
peculiarities of the animal are: first, peculiar angularly curved
horns in both sexes; second, the enormously arched chevron;
third, the very great development of the spurious hoofs, which
are obtusely conical, and about 1½ in. in length in a small
specimen.

Old bulls appear to become of an uniform brownish black at times,
but the colour doubtless depends on the season, as each hair has
the basal two-thirds yellow, and its apical third black, and the
young its hair brown with a dark tint.

The animal would appear to range from about 8,000 ft. to the
Alpine region, which is stated to be its habitat.

As this animal has been found by the Abbé David in Chinese Thibet, future explorations to the north of Burmah should furnish skeletons and details about its habits for the advancement of science.

There are two skulls in the British Museum in which the prominent chevron is particularly noticeable; and there are also several stuffed specimens.

XLIV. THIBETAN ANTELOPE (_Pantholops Hodgsonii_--STERNDALE, KINLOCH); (_Kemas Hodgsonii_--WARD)

_Cashmeree shikaris know it as ‘Heran.’ The Ladak name is ‘Chiru,’ or ‘Choos’_

This rather curious antelope is pretty plentiful in the Changchmeno Valley, the only easily accessible place for European sportsmen where it is found. A few are said to have been shot in the neighbourhood of the Mansarovárá Lake, near the North-Western frontier of Nepal, and they are also to be met with all over the lofty plateau which has to be crossed on the way to Yarkand. It appears, however, never to have been found in the district beyond the Niti Pass as far as Europeans have been able to penetrate, nor did Colonel Kinloch apparently meet with it when he crossed the frontier in the direction of Gártope.

_Measurements_

+---------------+------+------+------+------+-----+------+--------------+
|Authority |Height|Total |Weight|Length|Girth| Sex | Remarks |
| |at |length|as |of |at | | |
| |shoul-| |shot |horn |base | | |
| |der | | | | | | |
+---------------+------+------+------+------+-----+------+--------------+
| CAPRA JEMLAICA |
| | ins. | ins. | lbs. | ins. |ins. | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. |14⅛ |8⅞ | .. |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | .. | .. | 200 | 14 | .. | .. |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | |{Guide to |
| | | | | | | |{Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. Gwynne }| .. | .. | .. |13⅞ | 9 | .. |{Rowland |
| Griffiths }| | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|The Writer, }| .. | .. | .. |13⅞ | .. | .. | |
| 1884 }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hume }| .. | .. | .. |13¾ | 9 | .. |{Rowland |
| Collection, }| | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| British }| | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| Museum }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. |13¾ |8⅜ | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hume }| .. | .. | .. |13⅝ | 8 | .. | ” ” |
| Collection, }| | | | | | | |
| British }| | | | | | | |
| Museum }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. |13½ |8⅞ | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. Rowland }| .. | .. | .. |13½ |8½ | .. | ” ” |
| Ward }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. {|about |} .. | .. | .. | ” ” |
| | | {| 200 |} | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hon. W. }| .. | .. | .. |13⅜ |9⅛ | .. | ” ” |
| Rothschild }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. |13¼ |9½ | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sir V. Brooke | .. | .. | .. |13¼ |8⅞ | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sir E. G. }| .. | .. | .. |13¼ |8¼ | .. | ” ” |
| Loder, }| | | | | | | |
| Bart. }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. J. Carr | .. | .. | .. |13⅛ |8⅞ | .. | ” ” |
| Saunders | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Capt. H. Brooke| .. | .. | .. | 13 | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Greenaway| 41 | 52 | .. |12½ | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | 36½ | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sterndale’s }| 36 |{about|} .. | 12 | .. | .. | |
| ‘Mammalia’ }| to |{ 54 |} | to | | | |
| | 40 | | | 14 | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Col. Kinloch | .. | .. | .. | about| 10 | .. |{‘Large Game |
| | | | | 15 | to | |{Shooting’ |
| | | | | | 11 | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Average good }| .. | .. | .. | 12 | 9 | .. | |
| head }| | | | | | | |
| HEMITRAGUS HYLOCRIUS |
|Gen. McMaster | .. | .. | .. | 17 |9¾ | .. |{Sterndale’s |
| | | | | | | |{‘Mammalia’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. |16¾ |8⅞ | .. |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. St. George}| .. | .. | .. |16½ | .. | .. | ” ” |
| Littledale }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Gen. McMaster | .. | .. | .. | 16 | .. | .. |{Sterndale’s |
| | | | | | | |{‘Mammalia’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sir E. G. }| .. | .. | .. |15½ |8⅝ | .. |{Rowland |
| Loder, }| | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| Bart. }| | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. M. Kennard | .. | .. | .. |15¾ |8¾ | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. St. George}| .. | .. | .. |15¾ |8¼ | .. | ” ” |
| Littledale, }| | | | | | | |
| 1875 }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. M. Kennard | .. | .. | .. |15⅛ |8⅝ | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. St. George}| .. | .. | .. |15⅛ |8⅝ | .. | ” ” |
| Littledale, }| | | | | | | |
| 1871 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sterndale’s }| 41 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| ‘Mammalia’ }| to | | | | | | |
| | 42 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Average of | .. | .. | .. | 12 | 8 | .. | |
| good head | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| NEMORHÆDUS GORAL |
|Major Ward | 28 | .. | 58 | 8½ | .. | .. |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | |{Guide to |
| | | | | | | |{Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | 28 | .. | 63 | 8 | .. | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hume }| .. | .. | .. | 7⅝ |3¾ | .. |{Rowland |
| Collection, }| | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| British }| | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| Museum }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | 28 | .. | 59 | 7½ | .. | .. |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | |{Guide to |
| | | | | | | |{Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | 26 | .. | .. | 7½ | .. | .. | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Capt. J. A. }| .. | .. | .. | 7 |3¾ | .. |{Rowland |
| Orr Ewing }| | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. J. M. }| .. | .. | .. | 7 |3½ | .. | ” ” |
| Nicolls }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Col. Kinloch |about | .. | .. |up to | .. | .. |{‘Large Game |
| | 26 | | | 8 | | |{Shooting’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sterndale’s }| 28 | about| .. |6 to 9| .. | .. | |
| ‘Mammalia’ }| to | 48 | | | | | |
| | 30 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Greenaway| 26½ | .. | .. | .. | .. |Female| |
| | | | | | | | |
|Average good }| .. | .. | .. | 6 | .. | .. | |
| head }| | | | | | | |
| NEMORHÆDUS BUBALINUS |
|Major Ward | 37 | .. | 190 | 12 | .. | Male |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | |{Guide to |
| | | | | | | |{Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hon. C. Ellis | .. | .. | .. |10½ |5⅜ | .. |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Capt. H. Brooke| .. | .. | .. | 10 |5½ | Male | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | 38 | .. | 190 | 10 | .. | ” |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | |{Guide to |
| | | | | | | |{Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | 33 | .. | 120 | 10 | .. |Female| ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sir V. Brooke | .. | .. | .. | 9⅞ |5⅝ | .. |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. R. }| .. | .. | .. | 9¾ |5⅛ | .. | ” |
| Lydekker }| | | | | | | |
| British }| | | | | | | |
| Museum }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Greenaway| .. | .. | .. | 9½ | .. | Male | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | 7⅛ | .. |Female| |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major }| 42 | 71 | .. | 9¼ |5½ | Male | |
| FitzHerbert }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|The Writer | 40 | .. | .. | 8 | 5 |Female| |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sterndale’s }|about | 60 |about | 9 | .. | .. | |
| ‘Mammalia’ }| 36 | to | 200 | to | | | |
| | | 66 | | 14 | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ARAKANESE CAPRICORN |
|British Museum,| .. | .. | .. | 8¼ |5½ | .. | |
|sex unknown, | | | | | | | |
|not full grown (the horns are of the ordinary serow type) |
+---------------+------+------+------+------+-----+------+--------------+

+---------------+------+------+------+------+-----+------+--------------+
|Authority |Height|Total |Weight|Length|Girth| Span | Remarks |
| |at |length|as |of |at | at | |
| |shoul-| |shot |horn |base | tips | |
| |der | | | | | | |
+---------------+------+------+------+------+-----+------+--------------+
| BUDORCAS TAXICOLOR |
| | ins. | ins. | lbs. | ins. |ins. | ins. | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | 22⅜ | 10⅝ | 14¾ |{Rowland |
| | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Hume }| .. | .. | .. | 20⅞ | 11⅜ | 11⅞ | ” ” |
| Collection, }| | | | | | | |
| British }| | | | | | | |
| Museum }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. | 20¾ | 11⅞ | 12½ | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hume }| .. | .. | .. | 20¾ | 9⅝ | 13⅜ | ” ” |
| Collection, }| | | | | | | |
| British }| | | | | | | |
| Museum }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. B. H. }| .. | .. | .. | 20½ | 10⅞ | 12⅜ | ” ” |
| Hodgson, }| | | | | | | |
| British }| | | | | | | |
| Museum }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sir E. G. }| .. | .. | .. | 19⅜ | 11 | 15 | ” ” |
| Loder, }| | | | | | | |
| Bart. }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | 18 | 10¼ | 8 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 16⅛ | 8¾ | 10¾ | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. B. H. }| .. | .. | .. | 15¼ | 9⅜ | 5¾ | ” ” |
| Hodgson, }| | | | | | | |
| British }| | | | | | | |
| Museum }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Lieut.-Col. }| .. | .. | .. | 14⅜ | 8¾ | 8⅞ | ” ” |
| Graham }| | | | | | | |
+---------------+------+------+------+------+-----+------+--------------+

The bucks vary a good deal in colour; some of them are a beautiful golden red, some a light fawn, and others a dirty yellowish white. The colour of the hair seems always to fade after the skin is removed. As a rule the skins are useless in the summer as the antelope are changing their coats; the legs and face are dark brown, and the muzzle, instead of being neat and deer-like, is broad and puffy. The horns are peculiar, having a considerable bend forward at the tips, as if they were pliable, and the buck was standing with his back to a gale of wind.

They have two greatly developed inguinal glands, the tubes of which run right up into the body, and the Tartars are said to believe that the antelope inflate these with air at will, to enable them to gallop faster. A curious point about this antelope is that though he can gallop, and very fast, he generally seems to prefer moving at a sharp trot.

As they are wary and require careful stalking, and as they often lie up for the day in holes, which they have a curious habit of scratching for themselves on the hillsides just deep enough to conceal the whole of their bodies and necks when lying down, leaving the eyes just peeping over the top, the best time to hunt them is when they are feeding in the morning and evening. They are rather soft animals, and succumb to wounds that most deer would travel miles with; the writer once broke the foreleg of a buck who after going about half a mile lay down with his nose on the ground, and let himself be caught. There was a pretty free fight for a bit when he was laid hold of, his sharp horns necessitating a certain amount of caution; a judicious wrench towards his wounded side, however, at length upset him, and a knife-thrust finished him. A Tartar shikari, who was standing by, absolutely refused to lend any assistance during the struggle, contenting himself with applauding the combatants and seeing fair play. The does are smaller than the bucks, are of a light brown colour, and have no horns.

Unlike other antelope, the bucks separate from the does in the summer, and walk about in herds together. They are much worried by the grubs of some fly, which seems to annoy them chiefly when lying down during the heat of the day, for it is a common thing to see one of a herd get up, go for a constitutional gallop--they always gallop then--return to the herd and lie down again with the others. They do not seem to be troubled so much when moving about feeding. The venison in July is excellent.

XLV. THE SAIGA ANTELOPE (_Saiga tartarica_)

This extraordinary animal, which hails from Central Asia, is said to be a relative of the Thibetan antelope, on account of the peculiar formation of the nose. In the stuffed specimens in the British Museum there is little or no resemblance between the two; the Thibetan antelope having there, as in its natural state, a broad puffy muzzle, while the saiga antelope has, at all events in the Museum, in addition to a very high chevron, an absurd-looking elongated snout like a tapir, projecting far beyond its lower lip. The hair is thick and long, particularly on the cheeks, where it almost resembles a wild boar. The ears are small and rounded in shape, utterly unlike any deer’s ears. The general colour is almost white (probably a very pale yellow in nature), and there is a dark stripe down the quarters and tail. The horns are annulated and of a very pale colour, the stuffed specimen having twelve rings; and though of the gazelle type, with a backward sweep, rising up again at the tips, they have also two curious outward bends, one near the base of the horn, and another near the tip, though the tips eventually incline inwards. A skeleton in the Museum measured 58 ins. in length along the spinal cord, and stood 31¾ ins. at the shoulder. The stuffed specimen stands 30 ins. at the shoulder. Three pairs of horns measured 13¾ ins., 13½ ins. and 13 ins.

Sterndale remarks that the inflated nostrils ‘are so much lengthened as to necessitate the animal’s walking backwards when it feeds.’ The fortunate sportsman who comes across this rare variety should therefore remember to post himself astern of a herd should he wish it to feed up to him--though he may possibly find that nature has provided the animal with means of twitching its nose out of the way to obviate so uncomfortable a method of grazing.

_Gazella gutturosa_

This is another little known variety. It is found in Mongolia, and is the one Ward refers to as the ‘hwang yang, or yellow goat.’ There is a stuffed specimen in the British Museum, which stands 31 ins. at the shoulder, is of a pale yellowish white, with coarse hairs, and has horns 10½ ins. in length, of the regular gazelle type in shape and ribbing, much resembling those of the _Gazella picticaudata_.

_Gazella subgutturosa_

is a much smaller beast than the last. It is found in Persia,[24] and extends to Yarkand, where a specimen was shot by Major Biddulph when with the Yarkand Mission, between Maral Bashi and Kashgar. It is called by the natives ‘djêrân,’ or ‘jairan.’ Its general colour is pale red, with dark facial marks, a dark band along the side where the white of the belly joins the red of the back, and above it a curious pale streak. The buck has long, annulated, lyrate horns, with the tips inclining inwards. It measures 27½ ins. in height, and the horns of a specimen quoted in the ‘Scientific Results, Second Yarkand Mission,’ measured 14 ins. in length by 5 ins. in girth. There is a coloured plate of one in the same publication.

Major Cumberland, in his journal published by ‘Land and Water,’ mentions hawking these gazelles with trained eagles. He says that the doe is not much bigger than _Gazella Bennetti_, with short stumpy horns.

XLVI. THE THIBETAN GAZELLE (_Gazella picticaudata_, _Procapra picticaudata_--WARD)

_Thibetan ‘Goa’_

This lovely little animal is of a creamy fawn colour in its winter coat. It has a white anal disc of longish hair, and a black tail about four inches long, which, like the Indian gazelle, it keeps perpetually wagging. The summer coat is slaty grey. The horns are like those of the Indian gazelle, but are longer, of finer grain, and have a far bolder sweep backwards before turning up at the tips. The female has no horns. It frequents the high plateaux along the Chinese frontier, in Eastern Ladak, in the neighbourhood of the Tsomoriri Lake, but apparently does not extend north of the Indus, as far as Ladak is concerned, its limits in Chinese Thibet being at present unknown.

_Measurements_

+-----------------+------+------+------+------+-----+----+--------------+
| |Height|Total |Weight|Length|Girth|Span| |
| Authority | at |length| as | of | at |tip | Remarks |
| |shoul-| | shot |horns | base|to | |
| | der | | | | |tip | |
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+-----+----+--------------+
| PANTHOLOPS HODGSONII |
| | ins. | ins. | lbs. | ins. | ins.|ins.| |
| | | | | | | | |
|Colonel Kinloch }| .. | .. | .. | 28½ | .. | .. |{‘Large Game |
| quotes a head }| | | | | | |{ Shooting’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. | 27⅞ | 5⅞ | 13⅛|{Rowland |
| | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Sir R. Harvey, }| .. | .. | .. | 27⅞ | 5½ | 11¼| ” ” ” |
| Bart. }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. A. O. Hume | .. | .. | .. | 27⅛ | 5½ | 15⅛| ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | 36 | .. | 85 | 26½ | .. | .. |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | |{Guide to |
| | | | | | | |{Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hon. C. Ellis | .. | .. | .. | 26⅜ | 5⅞ | 13⅝|{Rowland |
| | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|The Writer | .. | .. | .. | 26 | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Capt. G. Campbell| .. | .. | .. | 25½ | 5½ | 12½|{Rowland |
| | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Hume Collection,}| .. | .. | .. | 25⅜ | 5⅜ | 12½| ” ” ” |
| British Museum}| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 25¼ | 5¾ | 12¾| ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | 37 | .. | 85 | 24 | .. | .. |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | |{Guide to |
| | | | | | | |{Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | 37 | .. | 90 | 24 | .. | .. | ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|The Writer | 35 | .. | .. | 20½ | .. | .. | ” ” ” |
| |
| Major Ward puts the average length of a full-grown |
| buck’s horns at 22 ins., which seems about right. |
| |
| SAIGA TARTARICA |
|Hon. W. | .. | .. | .. | 14⅜ | 5¼ | 3½|{Rowland |
| Rothschild | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Sir E. G. Loder,}| .. | .. | .. | 13¾ | 5 | .. | ” ” ” |
| Bart. }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Sir V. Brooke | .. | .. | .. | 13¾ | 4⅜ | 3½| ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | 13¾ | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 13½ | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hon. W. | .. | .. | .. | 13⅛ | 5⅜ | 4⅜|{Rowland |
| Rothschild | | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|British Museum | .. | .. | .. | 13 | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
| GAZELLA GUTTUROSA |
|Sir E. G. Loder,}| .. | .. | .. | 13⅛ | 4⅝ | 6¼|{Rowland |
| Bart. }| | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. St. George }| .. | .. | .. | 12¾ | 4⅜ | 3⅜| ” ” ” |
| Littledale }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 12¼ | 4⅜ | 4¾| ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. R. Beech | .. | .. | .. | 11½ | 4⅞ | 3 | ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. Rowland Ward |about | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ” ” ” |
| | 30 | | | | | | |
| GAZELLA SUBGUTTUROSA |
|Scientific }| 27½ | .. | .. | 14 | 5 | .. | |
| Results, Second}| | | | | | | |
| Yarkand Mission}| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. Rowland Ward |about | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |{‘Horn |
| | 26 | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Dr. O. Finsch, }| .. | .. | .. | 13¾ | 4½ | 6 | ” ” |
| British Museum}| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hume Collection,}| .. | .. | .. | 13⅜ | 4¾ | 5½| ” ” |
| British Museum}| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 13 | 4½ | 5 | ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 12¾ | 4¾ | 4⅜| ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 12⅝ | 4¾ | 5¼| ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 11¾ | 5 | 5⅛| ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
| GAZELLA PICTICAUDATA |
|Major Greenaway | .. | .. | 37 | 13½ | .. | .. | |
| | | cleaned| | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Hume Collection,}| .. | .. | .. | 13½ | 3⅝ | 5¼|{Rowland |
| British Museum}| | | | | | |{Ward, ‘Horn |
| | | | | | | |{Measurements’|
| | | | | | | | |
|Mr. H. C. V. | .. | .. | .. | 13⅛ | 4 | 3⅝| ” ” ” |
| Hunter | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” ” | .. | .. | .. | 13 | 3¾ | 3½| ” ” ” |
| | | | | | | | |
|Colonel Kinloch |about | .. | .. | 13 | .. | .. |{‘Large Game |
| | 24 | | | | | |{Shooting’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Ward | .. | .. | .. | 13 | .. | .. |{‘Sportsman’s |
| | | | | | | |{Guide to |
| | | | | | | |{Ladak, &c.’ |
| | | | | | | | |
|Major Greenaway | 23½ | 41 | 47 | 13 | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” (a doe)| 23 | 38½ | 40 | .. | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
| ” | .. | .. | .. | 13 | .. | .. | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Captain K. }| .. | .. | .. | 13 | .. | .. | |
| Mackenzie }| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|Average of }| .. | .. | .. | 13 | .. | .. | |
| good head }| | | | | | | |
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+-----+----+--------------+

Goa do not appear to lie down much in the middle of the day, and in May and June, at all events, are constantly on the move. They appear to resort to particular spots for dropping their dung, and little heaps of it may be noticed wherever goa are at all plentiful.

As they are generally found on the grass flats that fringe the streams, or on some almost level plateau, stalking them is by no means easy, though they are not generally very shy, will occasionally allow considerable liberties to be taken in approaching them, and will stop to look after a fallen companion. The Tartars say that they can be stalked down wind, but they say this also of the Thibetan antelope, and Major Ward’s advice on this point is sound: ‘Believe it, reader, if you like, but do not try it often.’

XLVII. INDIAN ANTELOPE (_Antilope Bezoartica_)

_Generally ‘Heran,’ or ‘Mirug,’ from the Sanscrit ‘Mirga’_

This is the well-known black buck, which is found all over India at intervals from the extreme south to as far north as the Jhelum, following the southern bank of that river till (joined by the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej) it flows into the Indus, which then becomes the black buck’s northern boundary. Essentially a plains-loving animal, it avoids hills and heavy forest, but is often found in the long grass which covers the islands and banks of many of the large rivers. Though considerable tracts of apparently suitable country do not seem to hold a single herd, special districts where antelope are always to be found seem to crop up unexpectedly all over India. In the North-West Provinces, and along the borders of the Bikanir Desert between Rajpootana and the Punjab, it appears to be more generally plentiful than in the rest of India, and the horns in these districts grow longer. Sanderson says, in ‘Thirteen Years among the Wild Beasts of India,’ that an 18-in. horn is a decided rarity in Mysore, whilst in the Bikanir Desert they are frequently obtained 24 ins., and occasionally 27 ins. or more, in length.

A black buck in his best coat is a very handsome animal, but is too well known to require description.

The buck usually changes his coat after the rutting season, which is in the spring, the season varying slightly according to locality. During the hot months he is generally more or less brown, regaining the black coat after the rainy season. Many full-grown bucks with good heads do not seem to turn black at all, but the master buck of a herd is almost invariably black at the proper season.

Major FitzHerbert (a very careful observer of the habits of wild animals) is of opinion that it is usually the master buck of the herd who turns brown in the hot weather; he is then used up, and often leaves the herd to the possession of a younger buck, who has remained black.

The herds, though more frequently consisting of ten or a dozen animals, are occasionally of immense size--indeed thousands are mentioned by some authorities. Antelope in herds are, as a rule, fairly easy to get within shot of; but a solitary old black buck takes precious good care of himself, and as there is rarely cover enough to stalk him without being seen, these wary old gentlemen generally escape. The natives have many methods of hunting antelope. Pursuing them with trained chitas has been so often described that any detailed account of it is unnecessary. It is interesting to see once, the chita’s speed being so amazing, but considered as sport it is poor fun. Black buck are occasionally snared by sending tame bucks among them with nooses attached to their horns. The wild buck attacks the intruder, and gets caught by the horn. This plan is also adopted for snaring ravine deer, but not often, as the gazelle is said to be harder to train than the black buck. The commonest way of snaring antelope is by covering about an acre of ground thickly with nooses and driving a herd over it. Trained bullocks are often used by native shikaris to enable them to get within the close range they love for a shot; and the writer has seen the following curious method practised in Central India. A trained buck and doe are taken out, each having a light cord about ten yards long attached to it, and the pair are led by an attendant, a light screen about three feet square made of grass and leaves with a small hole in the centre being carried by the shikari, and the whole party moves under cover of a third man on horseback to within about three hundred yards of a herd of antelope. The screen is then planted on a spot commanding a good view; the men on foot crouch behind it, and the horseman rides slowly off to a flank. The tame deer are then let out to the full extent of their lines on one side of the screen, and begin playing round one another. The master buck of the herd, seeing an impertinent intruder on his ground, trots out at once to do battle for the doe, but the screen puzzles him, so before coming close he generally circles round to try and see behind it. As he moves the screen is shifted round, the men scrambling round on hands and knees behind it, and if there are two Englishmen bursting with suppressed laughter in addition to the two natives, all scuffling round as the screen moves and trying to keep their legs out of sight, the business is most comical.

Directly the wild buck stops, the screen and the men behind it must remain motionless. Having failed to discover what is behind the screen, the buck, though he is still suspicious, probably because he caught sight of a clumsy English leg, feels that he must try to capture that enticing doe, but decides on having a look from the other side of the screen first, so back he gallops to the other flank, and the scrambling process is repeated. Gradually he comes within range, the rifle is poked through the hole in the screen and he gets his quietus; after this the tame deer are given a handful of corn, and the party sets out to look for another herd. The tame buck employed in this manœuvre should be a brown one, as if an old powerful-looking black one is used the wild buck will often decline the contest.

In some districts the antelope are so wild that sportsmen have to approach them under cover of bullock-carts, and occasionally dress up as natives to get within range. The antelope are accustomed to see carts and natives, and will generally allow them to pass within about a hundred and fifty yards, while the sight of a European will start them off at once; but in most places in Central and Northern India these accessories are not needed. The pleasantest way of shooting is to ride a quiet horse, which will do for stalking if the antelope are wild or for riding down a wounded buck, taking a few coolies with you to carry game, luncheon, guns and cartridges.

A shot-gun enables one to vary the bag pleasantly with small game, without interfering with the chance of getting antelope. If the sportsman is fond of coursing, greyhounds may be taken, the Rampore breed suiting the country best; but after many trials the writer has become unwillingly convinced that dogs do more harm than good. If there are any crops about they soon get unsighted, get on to fresh deer, and disturb the whole country.

On the other hand, if the sportsman has dogs he can often enjoy a course after a fox or a hare to vary the entertainment, and a good course with a wounded buck is a very pretty sight. The usual proceeding is as follows: The sportsman rides till a herd is sighted; he approaches them as far as he thinks safe, probably within about six hundred yards; he then dismounts, and if he is going to use his horse for stalking, goes on with the horse and groom, leaving the coolies and dogs behind, with orders to follow him slowly, keeping as far back as possible without losing sight of him. If the antelope are feeding or moving slowly, the sportsman directs his course so as to cross their path about a hundred yards ahead of them. If the creatures are lying down or stationary, he must try to pass within a hundred yards of the flank which is to the leeward of the herd, walking on the far side of his horse, which is led by the groom on the same side. If he has no horse with him, he should hold his rifle so that the sun does not shine on the barrels. If two sportsmen are working together (a most killing plan with crafty men who play into one another’s hands), they should each take a flank and go rather wider than they would if hunting single-handed, so as to keep the herd between them. As long as that can be managed one or other of the guns is sure to get a chance at the best buck. The sportsman should show himself to the herd a long way off, and walk slowly, without any attempt at concealment; he must remember never to walk straight at them, but always as if he were going to pass them at about a hundred yards; if he finds he is lying too far out of his course, he should edge quietly towards them without turning, and he should never stop until he means to fire. He should never look direct at the herd; quiet side glances will give him all the information he requires.

When he has approached to within two hundred yards, if the herd is lying down some of the does will get up; but the sportsman can go on safely till the buck he wants begins to stir. The old fellow will rise leisurely, stretch himself, and then turn to gaze. This is the time for the shot, and if it can be taken without sitting down or kneeling it is far more likely to be an easy one. An excellent rest[25] for firing standing can be made with a light bamboo having an iron crutch covered with leather on the top to hold the rifle barrels. The crutch should be the exact height of the top of the sportsman’s shoulder, and is held, when firing, with the left hand at arm’s length. The bottom of the stick should be shod, to prevent it wearing away when used as a walking-stick. The advantages of using this rest are particularly noticeable when shooting among low bushes, which so often interfere with a shot when sitting or kneeling.