450 MamMa.iA OF INDIA. 
regards interesting details and perfect illustrations, speaks thus of this 
species :— 
“The tahr is a fine-looking beast, although his horns are small, and 
he cannot compare with his majestic relatives, the ibex and the 
markhor. ‘The male tahr is about the same size as the ibex, but 
rather more heavily made. The general colour is a reddish-brown, 
deepening into a much darker tint on the hind-quarters, but individuals 
vary a good deal, and I have shot one which was of a yellowish-white. 
The face is covered with smooth short hair, and is nearly black ; the 
hair of the body is long and coarse, 
attaining its greatest length on the 
neck, chest and shoulders, where 
it forms a fine flowing mane reach- 
ing below the animal’s knees. The 
horns are curious, being triangular, 
with the sharp edge to the front ; 
they are very thick at the base, 
and taper rapidly to a fine point, 
curving’ right back on to the neck. 
The largest horns attain a length 
of about 14 inches, and are to 
or 11 inches in circumference at 
the base. 
“The female tahr is very much 
smaller than the male ; the hair is 
short, and the horns diminutive. 
The colour is a lightish red, with 
a dark stripe down the back. 
“The tahr is like the markhor, 
.a forest-loving animal, and, al- 
though it sometimes resorts to the 
rocky summits of the hills, it 
Hemitragus Femlaicus. generally prefers the steep slopes, 
which are more or less clothed 
with trees. Female tahr may be frequently found on open ground, but 
old males hide a great deal in the thickest jungle, lying during the heat 
of the day under the shade of trees or overhanging rocks. Nearly per- 
pendicular hills with dangerous precipices, where the forest consists ot 
oak and ringall cane, are the favourite haunts of the old tahr, who 
climb with ease over ground where one would hardly imagine that any 
animal could find a footing. Tahr ground indeed is about the worst 
walking I know, almost rivalling markhor ground ; the only advantage 
being that, bad as it is, there are generally some bushes or grass to 
hold on to. 
