642 THE SASIN AND FOUR-HORNED ANTELOPE. 
of walking away when alarmed, in the quietest and most silent manner imaginable, 
lifting up its feet high from the ground, lest it should haply strike its foot against a dry 
twig and give an alarm to its hidden foe. Pallahs have also a custom of walking in 
single file, each following the steps of its leader with a blind confidence ; and when they 
have settled the direction in which they intend to march, they adhere to their plan, and 
will not be tumed aside even by the presence of human beings. It is not so plain-loving 
an animal as the spring-bok, but is generally found in or near the district where low 
brushwood prevails. 
THE wide and comprehensive group of animals which includes the Antelopes is so 
extremely large that it is impossible in a work of the present dimensions to give 
illustrations even of the more important species, and we must content ourselves with but 
brief notices in any case. 
The Sasty, or INDIAN ANTELOPE (Antilope bezodrtica), is generally found in herds of 
fifty or sixty together, each herd consisting of one buck and a large harem of does. 
It is a wonderfully swift animal, and quite despises such impotent foes as dogs and 
men, fearing only the falcon, which is trained for the purpose of overtaking and attacking 
them, as has already been related of the gazelle. At each bound the Sasin will cover 
twenty-five or thirty feet of ground, and will rise even ten or eleven feet from the earth, 
so that it can well afford to despise the dogs. As its flesh is hard, dry, and tasteless, 
the animal is only hunted by the native chiefs for the sake of the sport, and is always 
chased with the assistance of the hawk or the chetah, the former of which creatures 
overtakes and delays it by continual attacks, and the other overcomes by stealthily 
creeping within a short distance, and knocking over his prey in a few rapid bounds. It 
is a most wary animal, not only setting sentinels to keep a vigilant watch, as is the case 
with so many animals, but actually detaching pickets in every direction to a distance 
of several hundred yards from the main body of the herd. 
The young Sasins are very helpless at the time of their entrance into the world, and 
are not able to stand upon their feet for several days, during which time the mother 
remains in the covert where her little one was born. As soon as it has attained sufficient 
strength, she leads it to the herd, where it remains during its life, if it should happen to 
be a doe, but if it should belong to the male sex, it is driven away from its companions 
by the leading buck, whose jealousy will permit no rivals in his dominions. Forced thus 
to live by themselves, these exiles become vigilant and audacious, and endeavour to 
attract mates for themselves from the families of other bucks. 
The horns of this animal are large in proportion to the size of their owner; their 
form is spiral, and they diverge considerably at their tips. From the base to the last few 
inches of the points, the horns are covered with strongly marked rings. In colour, the 
Indian Antelope is greyish-brown or black on the upper parts of the body, and white on 
the abdomen, the lips, breast, and a circle round the eyes. The outer sides of the limbs, 
together with the front of the feet and the end of the tail, are nearly black. Some of the 
oldest and most powerful males are so deeply coloured that their coats are tinted with 
the two contrasting hues of black and white, the fawn tint being altogether wanting. 
The height of this animal is about two feet six inches at the shoulder. 
A VERY curious species of Antelopes is that which is scientifically known by the name 
of Tetrdcerus quadricornis, both words bearing the same signification, viz. “four-horned.” 
These singular animals are natives of India, where they are known under the titles of 
CHOUSINGHA, or CHOUKA, the last word being derived from the native term chouk, a leap, 
which has been given to the animal in allusion to its habit of making lofty bounds. 
The front pair of horns are very short, and are placed just above the eyes, the hinder 
pair being much longer, and occupying the usual position on the head. The females are 
hornless. The colour of the Chousingha is a bright bay above and grey-white below, a 
few sandy hairs being intermixed with the white. The length of the hinder pair of horns 
is rather more than three inches, while the front, or spurious horns as they are sometimes 
termed, are only three-quarters of an inch long. The height of the adult animal is about 
twenty inches. 
