408 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



slenderest ground. The Balucliistan Gazelle is accorded a sub- 

 specific status on the evidence of one female head, " the horns of 

 which are distinctly, although not very prominently, ridged or ringed, 

 and the dark portions of the face are dark-brown instead of rufous.'* 

 Now these so-called distinctions are valueless. In the first place the 

 horns of the female chikara throughout India are general annulated, 

 while in one herd one may find animals with the dark portions of the 

 face, some dark-brown and others rufous. Again we are told that 

 the male of the Baluchistan Gazelle "was found not to differ 

 perceptibly from the ordinary Indian chikara, except that the horns 

 are a little more curved backwards, and slightly more lyrate when 

 viewed from the front." This is also a fallacious reason for naming 

 a local race ; the horns of male chikara in a single herd or locality 

 will be found to differ in these respects, some being more curved 

 backwards and more lyrate than others. 



This tendency towards a multiplication of sub-species or local races 

 cannot be too strongly condemned, particularly when, as is frequently 

 the cases, differentiation is based on the shape of horns, which vary 

 so much in individuals, or on texture of fur, which changes according 

 to climatic conditions. 



As regards differences in texture of fur, it is only to be expected 

 that animals whose habitat is in a cold climate will have under-fur, 

 absent in the inhabitants of torrid zones. Yet this is frequently 

 given as a reason for differentiation; colour, also is most misleading, 

 although it is not infrequently quoted as an important mark of variation. 

 Thus in a pack of either European or Indian wolves, one will find 

 animals of several varieties of colour — grey, Llackish, or rufous. 

 The tiger in India is left alone in his glory, and not subjected to this 

 hair-splitting process of division into local races ; only the Manchu- 

 rian and Persian animals are thus separated, by reason of texture of 

 fur, which is referable to climatic causes, and size, which is scarcely 

 of value in this connection, seeing how tigers vary in size, even in 

 one locality. 



The lion's method of opening and breaking up a carcase apparently 

 (lififers in no respect from that of the tiger. Both animals generally 

 remove the paunch and entrails intact, and drag the offal away to a 

 short distance, sometimes covering it up. 1 find no mention of lions 

 covering up the remains of their prey to preserve it from vultures ; 



