ANTILOPE BEZOARTICA. 277 



thin and much curved, ''gyring round like those o^ Oins Amnion." One 

 buck is also mentioned in which one of the horns curved round, and 

 Blyth suggested that the testis of that side had probably been injured. 



This beautiful antelope is found throughout India in suitable localities, 

 and does not occur out of our province. It is rare in Bengal, a few only 

 extending into Purneah and Dinagepore, north of the Ganges ; and it 

 does not occur in the richly-wooded Malabar coast. It is abundant in 

 the Deccan, in parts of the Doab between the Jumna and Ganges, also 

 in Hurriana, Rajpootana, and neighboiiring districts. It is found in the 

 Punjab, but does not cross the Indus. I have seen larger herds in the 

 neighbourhood of Jalna, in the Deccan, than anywhere else, occasionally 

 some thousands together, with black bucks in proportion. Now and 

 then, Dr. Scott informs me, they have been observed in the Government 

 cattle farm at Hissar in herds calculated at 8,000 to 10,000. Generally 

 throughout the country, smaller herds are more common, where one 

 black buck is accompanied by his harem of ten to twenty does, or even 

 more. With these herds younger bucks that have not turned black are 

 occasionally seen, the lord of the herd driving off the other bucks as 

 soon as they begin to turn black. 



Mr. Elliot says, " The rutting season commences about February or 

 March, but fawns are seen of all ages at every season. During the 

 spring months the buck often separates a particular doe from the herd, 

 and will not suffer her to join it again, cutting her off and intercepting 

 every attemjjt to mingle with the rest. The two are often found alone 

 also, but on being followed always rejoin the herd. 



" When a herd is met with and alarmed, the does bound away for a 

 short distance, and then turn round to take a look ; the buck follows more 

 leisurely, and generally brings up the rear. Before they are much 

 frightened they always bound or spring, and a large herd going off in 

 this way is one of the finest sights imaginable. But when at speed, the 

 gallop is lite that of any other animal. Some of the herds are so large 

 that one buck has from 50 to 60 does, and the young bucks driven from 

 these large flocks are found wandering in separate herds, sometimes con- 

 taining as many as 30 individuals of different ages. 



" They show some ingenuity in avoiding danger. In pursuing a buck 

 once into a field of toor, I suddenly lost sight of him, and found, after a 

 long search, that he had dropt down among the grain, and lay concealed 

 with his head close to the ground. Coming on another occasion upon a 



