THE GORAL. 35 



Chihli, being found as near to Peking as the peaks surrounding the 

 Nankou Pass. It is also common in the mountains to the west of 

 the Capital, and extends for a considerable distance southward. In 

 Shansi it occurs only in the extreme north, where, in certain places, 

 it is very plentiful indeed. 



Here as elsewhere it is remorselessly hunted by the natives, so 

 that it is rapidly becoming exterminated. The goral's skin is very 

 pretty, the fur being soft and strong, so that it fetches a good price. 

 Doubtless with the opening up of the country to increased trade with 

 Europe and America, the goral is another fine sporting animal added 

 to the list of those already doomed to extermination. 



In hunting the goral it is particularly imiportant to learn as much' 

 as possible of its habits. It is by far the most elusive of all the larger 

 game animals in this country, and it is only by knowing just where it 

 may be found, and what it is likely to do when put up that one can hope 

 to secure it. Of course native hunters can help a great deal, and when 

 out after goral the beginner would do well to pay strict attention to what 

 his shikaree tells him to do. 



The goral feeds early in the mornings and late in the evenings often 

 before and after daylight. After the morning meal, ifc clambers down 

 to the stream-bed to get a drink, and then hurries back to the cliffs. 

 Here it chooses a sunny spot, often on some spur or ledge of rock in full 

 view of thie passer by, and lies down to rest. In summer it prefers the 

 shade of the caves and overhanging rocks. It must not be imagined, 

 however, that the goral can be easily seen, because of the exposed posi- 

 tions it chooses for its siesta. On the contrary, so perfectly does it 

 resemble its surroundings, and so still does it lie, that it is absolutely 

 invisible, even to the keen eyed natives. Sometimes, however, its 

 nerves get the better of it, and it betrays its presence by a flicker of 

 the ear, or even by a sudden precipitous rush for a safer vicinity. 



When put up it is by far the hardest animal to hit. Its small size 

 and quick erratic movements, combined witJi its constant appearance 

 and disappearance as it dodges amongst the boulders and through the 

 brush, and its remarkable protective colouring render it a most difficult 

 mark. Also it is usually put up under the worst possible conditions for 

 accurate shooting. It not infrequently happens that, just at the critical 

 moment, the hunter finds himself perched perilously on the edge of 

 some yawning chasm, when the loss of balance means certain destruc- 

 tion ; or he may be struggling to recover Ms breath after the exhausting 

 climb, when with a rush, the quarry breaks cover, and he finds himself 

 unable to draw a bead upon it. 



