The Nilgiri Tahr, or Ibex 



THE NILGIRI TAHR, OR IBEX 



{^Hemitrdgus hylocrius) 



Native Names. — JVarri-adu^ or Warri-atu^ Tamil ; 

 Kard-ardu, Canarese ; Mulla-atu^ Malabari 



(Plate iv, tig. 7) 



Although it has several local names of its own, while 

 it is commonly known to sportsmen as the Nilgiri ibex, 

 this species may be more appropriately termed the 

 Nilgiri tahr, since it is a relative of the Himalayan 

 species, with which and a third species from Southern 

 Arabia it constitutes the genus Hem'itragus. The 

 isolated distribution of the present species indicates that 

 at some former epoch conditions permitted the existence 

 of tahr in the country between the Himalaya and the 

 Nilgiris. 



In size the Nilgiri tahr is somewhat superior to its 

 Himalayan relative, the bucks standing from 39 to 42 

 inches at the withers, although the does do not appear 

 to exceed about 'X/S i'^ches. From the Himalayan 

 species it is distinguished by the generally short and 

 stiff coat, the prominent convexity of the outer surface 

 of the horns, and the presence of only a single pair of 

 teats in the female. The face exhibits a slight concavity 

 on the forehead and a corresponding convexity at the 

 lower part of the nose. With the exception of being 

 lengthened to form a low and stiff mane on the back of 

 the neck and shoulders in bucks, the hair is short, 

 thick, and coarse, probably exhibiting little or no 

 difference between the summer and winter coats. 

 Almost in contact at their bases, the horns ot adult 

 bucks are nearly parallel for some distance, after which 

 they become gradually divergent, the curvature forming 

 a bold and regular sweep. Throughout their length 

 they are marked by conspicuous transverse wrinkles, 



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