46 Oxen 



Another peculiarity of the tsaing is that it does not seem to mind the 

 bites of the gad- or horse-Hy, with which the teak-forests abound at the 

 beginning of the monsoon. The wild buffalo, which has apparently a 

 much tougher skin, is almost driven mad by these pests, and is compelled 

 to take to the rivers and swamps to avoid them, whereas the tsaing will 

 never resort to the water, hut prefers to lie down in the forest surrounded 

 by these buzzing tormentors, when no doubt its long and bushy tail assists 

 in driving off the bloodsuckers. During the rains these animals betake 

 themselves to the low hills, where they feed on the bamboo, with which 

 the hills are covered ; and alter the yearly fires they all descend into the 

 valley, and wander through the vast teak-torests. Unlike the gaur, they 

 never come down to the rice-fields ot the villagers, and this is probably 

 owing to their extreme shyness. The cow calves during the rains, and 

 the young is of a light red colour, only one being produced at a birth. 

 At the beginning of the rains tsaing are always to be found at the foot 

 of the low hills, where they browse on the tender new bamboo-shoots. 

 These animals also travel great distances to visit the so-called salt-licks, 

 one or two of which are generally found in places where the species is 

 obtained, though many of these salt-licks are nothing more than a mixture 

 of mud and water which has a slightly saline taste. These salt-licks are 

 also visited by hundreds ot parrots, green and imperial pigeons, and also 

 by elephants, gaur, pigs, and sambar. The tsaing is often shot at these 

 places by the hunter, who squats up in a tree close by. Gaur and tsaing 

 are never met with together in a herd, although I have found both beasts 

 within the radius of a mile of each other. The spoor ot the tsaing is 

 heart-shaped, and very pointed anteriorly, quite unlike the track of a 

 gaur ; this is owing to the hoofs of the former being much more pointed 

 and deer-like. These animals, both when feeding and lying down, always 

 have a sentry, generally a cow. When lying down, they generally rest 

 in a circle ; and when the sentry suspects danger she either stamps her 



