BUDORCAS. 461 
but the colour doubtless depends on the season, as each hair has the 
basal two-thirds yellow, and its apical third black, and the young its hair 
brown with a dark tint. The takin, pronounced takhon (nasally), is 
found just outside British limits in the Mishmi and Akha hills, north of 
Assam. It extends into the mountainous parts of Chinese Thibet, whence 
it has lately been procured by the adventurous Abbé David, and has 
been described by the great French naturalist A. Milne-Edwards, in his 
work ‘ Recherches sur les Mammiferes,’ with some osteological details 
which were hitherto wanting, but no more than the limb bones appear 
to have been obtained. 
“The horns of the takin have been considered to bear some likeness 
to those of the gnu (Cafodlepas), but I fail to trace a resemblance. 
Hodgson’s description of the horns is as follows :— 
““*'The horns of the takin are inserted on the highest part of the 
forehead. The horns are nearly in contact at their bases, Their 
direction is first vertically upwards, then horizontally outwards, or to the 
sides, and then almost as horizontally backwards. The length of each 
horn is about 20 inches along the curves, but their thickness is great. 
The tail is about three inches long.’ 
“This remarkable animal was originally described by Brian Hodgson 
in 1850, from specimens procured by Major Jenkins from the Mishmis, 
north-east of Sadya. Skulls and skins are fairly common among the 
residents of Debroogurh, and two perfect skins of adults were lately 
presented by Colonel Graham to the Indian Museum. 
“Tt is to be regretted that the skeleton of the animal remains unknown 
to science ; from information collected by myself from the Mishmis, it 
was apparent that they might easily be procured. 
“The animal would appear to range from about 8000 feet to the 
Alpine region, which is stated to be its habitat. 
“While at Sadya.a Mishmi chief pointed me out various spurs 
of the Himalayas, tantalisingly close, where he stated that he had hunted 
the animal. 
“‘Flodgson’s paper on the takin was published in the ‘ Jour. As. Soc.’ 
vol. xix., pp. 65, 75, with three plates, a drawing of the animal, and 
two views of the skull. 
“The next figure was by Wolf, in the ‘Proc. of the Zool. Soc.’ for 
1853, pt. xxxvi., and is perhaps the worst he has ever done. Neither 
of these drawings are correct ; and it is to be hoped that Professor Milne- 
Edwards has more materials for his picture than flat skins and limb 
bones. 
“Professor Milne-Edwards was inclined to consider his specimens a 
distinct variety from the Mishmi animal, and calls it Budorcas taxicola 
(sic) var. Tibetana. 
“The difference the professor points out, namely the fulvous colour 
