The Xilorai, or Blue Bull 



to approach, requiring a careful stalk to enable one to 

 obtain even a long shot. The tirst one I saw and 

 killed looked so like the village oxen in whose proximitv* 

 it was grazing that I had some compunction in shooting 

 it, whilst my companion entirely mistook it for a 

 domestic cow, and thus permitted it to retreat and 

 meet its fate in my direction. My first shot broke the 

 animal's fore-leg, and it was brought to bay after a 

 short chase through the bushes bv mv tox-terrier, and 

 finished off with another bullet. The next that fell to 

 my rifle was a large, almost black bull, that got up out 

 of a nala close to me in thick jungle, and was 

 immediatelv shot, tor we were in want ot meat. I 

 then discovered that the unfortunate creature had a 

 number of dreadful wounds on its back, evidently 

 inflicted by a tiger some time previously ; and it was 

 in such an emaciated condition that the flesh did not 

 appear to be fit for tood, although it was eagcrlv 

 devoured by the jungle-men who were with me." 



The same writer then goes on to reter to the 

 extraordinary tenacity of lite displaved bv nilgai when 

 wounded. " I have trequently," he writes, "experienced 

 ■considerable difficulty in killing them, and have known 

 one travel far with a hea\'A' and well-placed bullet in 

 the shoulder, which would have been sufficient to kill 

 most animals. On another occasion a sportsman with 

 me shot one of these beasts and proceeded to cut its 

 throat. When the operation had been partially per- 

 tormed, the animal suddenly jumped up and ran some 

 -distance, but did not attempt to attack its rash assailant. 

 The blue bull was shot through the lungs, and the 

 release of the blood at the throat had relieved the 

 pressure on the chest, and so enabled the animal to 

 recover for a space." It is added that in the district 

 referred to almost every nilgai killed had one or more 

 bullets, presumably fired by natives, embedded in its 

 body. When the amount of damage these animals, 

 in districts where thev are numerous, inflict on crops 



