158 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



nose, chin, and face half-way up to eyes, area around eyes, tip 

 to tail, hock and legs almost up to knees, black ; eajrs, greyish ; 

 rest of body light creamy-white ; fore-part of body clearer and 

 lighter than hind-part, which is mixed with greyish hairs. 

 This animal was killed on 17th September 1908, and contained 

 a foetus about the size of an ordinary squirrel. The adult 

 males are more orange-yellow in colour, particularly on the 

 neck and shoulders, with a dark stripe extending from nape of 

 neck to withers. The bulls run rather larger than the cows. 

 The horns are alike in both sexes, though rather smaller in the 

 female. These horns somewhat resemble those of the Blue 

 Wildebeeste, and are jet-black. They grow downwards and 

 outwards for a short distance, then take a sharp curve upwards 

 and backwards. A pair of horns purchased near Wa shan, 

 and in my possession, measure : length, 2o| inches and 20 

 inches ; circumference at base, ii| inches ; tip interval, iif 

 inches ; widest spread, i6| inches. This is the largest pair I 

 have seen in Western China. 



Zoologists attach considerable taxonomic importance to 

 colour, but in the Chinese Takin they must be prepared to 

 grant a wide range of variation. I have seen probably 100 

 flat skins in addition to the specimens killed by the sportsmen 

 mentioned above. Nearly all showed some distinct coloration, 

 and hardly two were alike, whilst the extreme forms look very 

 dissimilar. The general colour of the bulls may be put down 

 as tawny-grey and black, with shoulders and neck bright 

 golden-brown ; the mane is grey. The cows are much lighter 

 grey, and the older ones are almost white in their upper-parts. 



The curved nose, short, almost square ears, and minute 

 stump-like tail give this animal a strange and most distinct 

 appearance. The limbs are very short, thick, and muscular, 

 and the lateral pairs of hoofs are very large. The flesh is dark 

 coloured, and in inferiority of flavour surpassed only by that 

 of the Serow. The animal is hunted for its meat, which is 

 esteemed by the natives, my poor opinion notwithstanding. 

 Flat skins are commonly used in bed-mattresses, and also 

 frequently made into leather. The horns are used as powder- 

 flasks by hunters. 



This Chinese Takin was originally described as Budorcas 



