594 



UNGULATA. 



very sure-footed. It never attacks mankind, but defends itself against 

 beasts of prey with courage, repulsing even the panther and tiger. The 

 Kuki tribe tame many of them. They place a ball of salt and earth in 

 some place where the wild Gayals pass, and drive some tame ones to the 

 same spot. Both love salt, and remain together for months, new balls 

 of salt being continually supplied. The wild Gayals become friends 

 with their tame brethren, and gradually lose their dread of man. They 

 finally submit to be stroked and handled, and end in becoming domes- 

 ticated and useful animals. 



THE GAUR. 



The G.\UR, Bibos gaurus, is the largest of all the existing members of 

 the O.x tribe, and it may be easily recognized by the extraordinary 

 elevation of the spinal ridge and the peculiarly white "stockings." The 

 general color of the Gaur is a deep-brown, verging here and there upon 

 black, the females being usually paler than their mates. The dimensions 

 of the tiaur are very considerable, a full-grown bull having been known 

 to measure six feet ten inches in height at the shoulders. The great 

 height of the shoulder is partly owing to the structure of the vertebrje, 

 some of which give out projections of sixteen inches in length. 



The Gaur associates in little herds of ten, twenty, or thirty in num- 

 ber, each herd generally consisting of a few males and a comparatively 

 large number of the opposite sex. These herds frequent the deepest 

 recesses of the forest. During the heat of noonday, the Gaurs are buried 

 in the thickest coverts, but in the early morning, and after the setting of 

 the sun, they issue from their place of concealment, and go forth to pas- 

 ture on the little patches of open verdure that are generally found even 

 in the deepest forests. The watchfulness of this animal is extremely 

 remarkable, as, independently of placing the usual sentries, the Gaurs 

 are said to arrange themselves in a circle while at rest, their heads all 

 diverging outward, so as to preserve equal vigilance on every side. 

 They may, however, be readily approached if the spectator be mounted 

 on an elephant, as they seem to regard these huge animals without anv 

 suspicion or fear. In all probability, the imperturbable indiflerence with 

 which they look upon the elephant is caused by the fact that the elephant 

 is never used in Gaur-hunting, and, unless accompanied by human beings, 

 never attempts to attack these animals. 



