Game Animals of India, etc. 



I4|- inches ; the basal girths of the two first examples 

 being respectively 8;^ and 9|- inches. Two of these 

 specimens were obtained in Chamba ; while a third 

 came from Gahrwal, but the locality of the first is 

 unknown. 



The tahr retains its long coat at all seasons, the same 

 being to a great extent the case with the Astor and Pir 

 Panjal markhor. In this respect it offers a striking 

 contrast to the Rocky Mountain goat, in which the 

 summer coat is short ; and as its habitat in summer is 

 probably warmer than that of the latter at the same 

 season, the difference in this respect seems inexplicable. 



The tahr is a typical Himalayan animal, inhabiting 

 the forest districts of the middle ranges of the chain 

 from the Pir Panjal to Sikhim, and being especially 

 abundant in the lower Wardwan valley, the Kistwar 

 district, and Chamba. Although it is difficult to obtain 

 accurate information as to the ranges of animals in 

 Kashmir, the tahr does not apparently occur in the 

 mountains to the north of that valley, or in the Kaj-nag 

 range. 



Tahr inhabit, perhaps, the worst ground on which it 

 is possible for a large mammal to exist ; and it is to 

 this that many sportsmen owe the loss or destruction of 

 some of their finest trophies. They are essentially 

 forest animals, and generally prefer steep slopes, more 

 or less clothed with trees, to bare mountain -tops, to 

 which, however, they occasionally wander. Till autumn 

 old bucks keep apart from the herds during summer, 

 generally ascending to higher elevations. The pairing- 

 season occurs in winter ; the kids, of which there is 

 usually but one at a birth, being dropped in June or 



July. 



36 



