76 THE TAKIN 



view in the open half a mile or so away when first 

 seen. They made no attempt to move, and 

 betrayed no uneasiness, though it would have been 

 easy for them to see us ; and wild sheep under 

 similar circumstances would have been over the 

 hills and far away in no time. Mr. Fergusson 

 records the following notes : Each herd follows an 

 old bull, who is the leader. To such a pitch do 

 they carry their blind obedience that, on a native 

 hunter shooting one, which fell over a cliff, the 

 whole herd threw themselves over after him. In 

 the spring the cows travel alone with their young, 

 which can follow anywhere at three days old, and 

 are weaned at one month. In Szechuan they 

 collect about salt licks, to which they make regular 

 broad beaten paths, but in Shensi we did not come 

 across any such spots. Where they exist the 

 hunting of any animal is rendered comparatively 

 easy. All that the hunter has to do is to conceal 

 himself near the lick, when he is almost certain to 

 obtain a shot. 



