478 MAMMALIA OF INDIA. 
He rests during the day in shade, but is less of a nocturnal feeder than 
the sambar stag. I have found nilgao feeding at all times of the day. 
The droppings are usually found in one place. The nilgao drinks 
daily, the sambar only every third day, and many are shot over water. 
Although he is such an imposing animal, the blue bull is but poor 
shooting, unless when fairly run down in the open. With a sharp spurt 
he is easily blown, but if not pressed will gallop for ever. In some 
parts of India nilgai are speared in this way. I myself preferred 
shooting them either from a light double-barrelled carbine or large bore 
pistol when alongside ; the jobbing at such a large cow-like animal with 
a spear was always repugnant to my feelings. ‘They are very tenacious 
of life. I once knocked one over as I thought dead, and, putting my 
rifle against a tree, went to help my shikaree to /al/a/ him, when he 
jumped up, kicked us over, and disappeared in the jungle; I never saw 
him again. A similar thing happened to a friend who was with me, 
only he sat upon his supposed dead bull,-quietly smoking a cigar and 
waiting for his shikarees, when up sprang the animal, sending him flying, 
and vanished. On another occasion, whilst walking through the jungle, 
I came suddenly on a fine dark male standing chest on to me. I 
hardly noticed him at first; but, just as he was about to plunge away 
into the thicket, I rapidly fired, and with a bound he was out of sight. 
I hunted all over the place and could find no trace of him. At last, 
by circling round, I suddenly came upon him at about thirty yards off, 
standing broadside on. I gave him a shot and heard the bullet strike, 
but there was not the slightest motion. I could hardly believe that he 
was dead in such a posture. I went up close, and finally stopped in 
front of him; his neck was stretched out, his mouth open and eyes 
rolling, but he seemed paralysed. I stepped up close and put a ball 
through his ear, when he fell dead with a groan. I have never seen 
anything like it before or since, and can only suppose that the shot in 
the chest had in some way choked him. I have alluded to this incident 
in my book on Seonee ; it was in that district that it occurred. 
The nilgao is the only one of the deer and antelope of India that 
could: be turned to any useful purpose. The sambar stag, though 
almost equal in size, will not bear the slightest burden, but the nilgao 
will carrya man. I had one in my collection of animals which I trained, 
not to saddle, for such a thing would not stay on his back, but to 
saddle-cloth. He was a little difficult to ride, rather jumpy at times, 
otherwise his pace was a shuffling trot. I used to take him out into 
camp with me, and made him earn his grain by carrying the servants’ 
bundles. He was not very safe, for he was, when excited, apt to charge ; 
and a charge from a blue bull with his short sharp horns is not to be 
despised. In some parts the Hindoos will not touch the flesh of this 
animal, which they believe to be allied to the cow. It has much more 
