Gaur 2^ 



Plate I. 



Characters. — Build massive (the body being deep luid the hmbs rela- 

 tively short) and size large, the height in old bulls occasionally reaching 

 as much as six teet four inches (nineteen hands) at the shoulder. Ears 

 large. The ridge on the back strongly developed, and ending in a sudden 

 descent about midway between the shoulders and the tail. Skull with 

 a high ridge on the vertex, forming a bold arch between the bases of 

 the horns, and beneath it tlie prohle oi the forehead deeply concave. 

 Horns markedly flattened at the base, strongly curved throughout their 

 length, with the tips inclining inwards and somewhat backwards ; their 

 colour pale greenish or yellowish, with black tips. Tail just reaching 

 the hocks. Generally little or no distinct dewlap. Hair short, and 

 becoming very sparse on the back in old bulls ; general colour of the 

 upper-parts in old bulls dark olive-brown tending to become almost black ; 

 under-parts paler, but golden-brown at the insertion of the limbs ; upper 

 portion of forehead to the nape of the neck ashy-gray, passing in some cases 

 into whitey-brown or dirty white ; legs from above the knees and hocks 

 downwards pure white ; muzzle pale-coloured. In cows and young bulls 

 the general coloration rather less dark, and in some cases, especially during 

 winter and in individuals inhabiting comparatively dry and open districts, 

 tending to rufous ; calves are stated to have a dark streak down the 

 back. 



Although a bull from the Malay Peninsula was exhibited in the 

 London Zoological Gardens in 1889, I have never seen a living gaur, 

 and my descriptions are consequently derived from museum specimens 

 and the writings of others. The British Museum possesses a fine mounted 

 male and female from India, but additional specimens are necessary before 

 several disputed points in connection with this magnificent species can be 

 decided. With regard to size, Mr. Blanford, in 1891, wrote as follows : — 



