126 MAMMALIA. 



Bos frontalis. 



Bos frontalis, Lambert Linn. Trans.y vii, pp. 57 and 302, pi. iv (1804); 



Gray Cat. Hodgs. Coll., ist ed., p. 24 ; P. L. Sclater P.Z. S., 1866, p. i, 



pi. i; Blanford J. A. S. B., xxxvi, p. 192 ; Blyth J. A. S.B., xliv, Burma 



List, p. 48 ; Pollok Sport in Brit. BurmUy i, p. 104; Jarbo P. Z. S., 1883, 



p. 143 ; Sterndale Alamin. Ind., p. 486. 

 Bos gavasus, Colebroke As. Res., viii, p. 487, "with plate (1805); Hodgson 



J. A. S. B.y X, p. 453- 

 Bibos frontalis, Gray List Mamm. B. M., p. 151 (1842) ; id Cat. Mamni.B. M., 



iii, p. 31. 

 Bos sylhetanus, F. Cuvier Hist, Nat. Mamm., livr. 41, 42, with plate (1824) j 



[hybrid with B. taurus]. 

 Gavseus frontalis, Hodgson J. A. S, B.,xv\, p. 706 (1847) ; {Blyth Cat., p. 



162 ; Horsfield Cat. E. I. Mus., p. 179 ; Blyth J. A. S. B., xxix, p. 294 ; 



id. ibid, xxxi, p. 338. 



TheGayal; Gavaye, Hind.; Gayal, Beng.; Shio of the Mughs 

 of Chittagong ; Mithana or Mithun of the Kookies ; Johnguna, 

 Burma. 



Distribution — From Akyab northwards through the Arakan and 

 Chittagong hills, extending through Tipperah and Munipur to the 

 Naga hills; also found in the Duffla hills north of the Brahma- 

 pootra, 



The Gayal is distinguished from the Gaur (B. gaurus) by its 

 heavier and more clumsy build, by the possession of a well-deve- 

 loped dewlap and shorter tail ; the horns of the Gayal are horizon- 

 tal and very nearly straight ; they are quite black, contrasting with 

 the greenish horns of the Gaur ; the skull too of the Gayal con- 

 trasts strongly with that of the Gaur by its very much more trian- 

 gular shape; the concavity of the frontal bones, which is so marked 

 a feature in the Gaur's skull, exists also in the Gayal though not 

 nearly in so marked a way ; in the'median line of the skull between 

 the horns there is in the Gaur a distinct ridge which is quite un- 

 represented in the Gayal. 



The Banteng (Bos sondaicus) is at once distinguished from the 

 Gayal and the Gaur by the extension of the white of the hind legs 

 up to the rump ; it has a moderate dewlap and a long tail, and the 

 dorsal ridge so conspicuous a feature of the Gaur and Gayal is 

 much less developed in the Banteng. 



The Gayal is always found in a semi-domestic state belonging to 

 different villages of the numerous hill tribes on the Assam frontier, 

 such as the Nagas and Kookis; they roam about the forest all day 

 but always return to the hill tribes' villages at night, and there is 

 considerable doubt as to whether the Gayal ever occurs in a true 

 feral state. 



The older writers seem to have had no doubt on the subject. 

 Colebrooke (see above) says it is found wild in the Chittagong, 

 Tipperah and Sylhet hills, and he also mentions that the animal is 

 brown and has a well-developed dewdap, thus showing that he was 

 not confusing the Gayal with the Gaur which also occurs in the 



