72 THE TAKIN 



Szechuan variety, is golden yellow, and it may be 

 taken that this is the most specialised representa- 

 tive of the genus hudorcas yet discovered. To 

 quote -Mr. Pocock again— and I am indebted to 

 him for much information on the subject — " the 

 main character in which this Chinese animal devi- 

 ates from the Assamese one is the extension of the 

 pale coloration over the greater part of the head 

 and its intensification everywhere." There is no 

 dark spinal stripe, though its remains are found in 

 a longer ridge of hairs, of a slightly darker tone 

 than those of the body, approximating to those 

 found on the necks of the males. It is interesting 

 to note, however, that this dark dorsal stripe is 

 very prominent in the young, varying in colour 

 from dark grey to chocolate brown on the neck 

 and tail. The young have also dark hairs round 

 the fringe of the curiously shaped ears and a dark 

 muzzle. The legs and hind quarters are also con- 

 siderably darker than in the adult. Even in the 

 Szechuan variety the young are very materially 

 darker than adult specimens. The cows stand 

 about 42 inches at the shoulder ; a full-grown bull 

 about 51 inches. The legs are short, enormously 

 thick, and seem small in proportion to the body. 

 The hoofs are large and very splayed. The hair 

 is coarse. 



In sunlight they are a conspicuous golden yellow, 

 though the females are considerably lighter and 

 more silvery in tone, like the yellow in the coat of 

 a Polar bear. The bulls are much larger and have 

 a decidedly reddish tinge about the neck, not 

 unlike the colour of a lion. The back view of both 

 sexes, owing to the length of hair, the formation 



