MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 48 



two, are blunted at the tips and worn smooth on the surfaces, those of the 

 cow are sharply pointed and covered with rugosities. 



Having reached this point, I felt convinced that the Bhutan takin was a 

 distinct small-horned race, but thought it desirable to await further evidence 

 before giving it a name. This evidence has now been supplied by the horns, 

 skulls, and skins of a bull and cow from Bhutan, sent me for inspection by 

 the Hon. Walter Rothschild. Fortunately, in this case, the bull is immature 

 and the cow fully adult ; so that the four pairs of horns collectively show all 

 that is necessary, and demonstrate the distinctness of the race. In the adult 

 bull the horns when entire would have been about 14in. or 15in. in length, 

 against from 20in. to 24in. in the Mishmi race. In the young bull they measure 

 13in. against 18in. in a Mishmi specimen of about the same age. 



I also find that in the Bhutan takin the light yellow area on the back is 

 generally of smaller extent than in the typical race. This is of interest as 

 indicating a gradual increase of the yellow as we pass from Bhutan to Tibet, 

 Budorcas taxicolor tibetanus being wholly yellow on the upper-parts. Judging 

 from the single immature specimen in the Museum, I am also inclined to 

 think that the latter race will prove to be longer horned than the Mishmi takin. 



For the short-horned Bhutan takin I think the name Budorcas taxicolor whitei 

 will be appropriate, the type of the race being the bull in the British Museum, 

 while the cow in that collection and Mr. Rothschild's two specimens will be co- 

 types. It is now, of course, perfectly certain that the horns of the two sexes of 

 the takin are alike in form, as was originally pointed out by Mr. A.O. Hume. I 

 may add that a curious and apparently hornless ruminant skull from the Siwalik 

 formation of the Himalaya, described many years ago by the late Professor 

 Rutimeyer as Bucapra daviesi, appears to indicate a relative of the takin. 



R. LYDEKKER. 

 (The above is taken from " The Field " of 16th November 1907.) 



No. IV.— THE BALUCHISTAN GAZELLE. 



Mr. Lydekker, in his Game Animals of India, says : — " Whether the Baluchi 

 Chinkara is entitled to rank as a distinct race may be open to doubt, but as it 

 has received a name, it may be alluded to as Gazella bennettiifuscifrons. It was 

 originally named by Dr. Blanford in 1873 on the evidence of a female head 

 obtained by Sir 0. St. John at Jalk, in Northern Baluchistan. Its claim to 

 distinction is that the horns of this sex are distinctly, although not very 

 prominently ridged or ringed, and that the dark portions of the face are dark- 

 brown instead of rufous. When the male was discovered, it was found not to 

 differ perceptibly from the ordinary Indian chinkara, except that the horns are 

 a little more curved backwards, and slightly more lyrate when viewed from the 

 front. From Baluchistan the chinkara extends to the head of the Persian 

 Gulf in the neighbourhood of Bushire. There it inhabits the low country, as 

 it does in Baluchistan, not ranging above the 3,000 feet level, where it is 

 replaced by the goitred gazelle, easily recognised, even at a comparatively 

 long distance, by its lighter colour." 



