The Blackbuck, or Indian Antelope 



adult members of that sex. Very characteristic is the 

 large size of the face-glands, which open by a linear 

 slit, and during the rutting-season are constantly everted 

 by the bucks. Glands are likewise present in all the 

 feet, as also in the groin ; and the does, as in other 

 members of the group, have a single pair of teats. 

 The hoofs are delicate and sharply pointed, and the 

 knees furnished with tufts of stiff hairs. 



In height the blackbuck stands about 32 inches, and 

 its average weight is about 85 pounds. The long and 

 slender corkscrew-like horns of the bucks, which arise 

 near together on the forehead, are cylindrical and 

 divergent, but display great individual variation in the 

 degree of divergence. Their spiral is, however, always 

 comparatively close ; and the ridges, or rings, which 

 encircle the horn, extend from the base (where they are 

 more approximated than elsewhere) nearly to the tip. 

 Usually the number of turns in the spiral is from three 

 to four, but five is by no means uncommon, and in the 

 unique example shown in fig. 27 the number reaches 

 six. In this specimen, which belongs to Mr. A. 

 O. Hume and was obtained in the Delhi district, the 

 length, measured in a straight line, is 28^^ inches, and 

 the interval between the tips 17I inches. The former 

 dimension is only known to be exceeded in the case of 

 a specimen once in the possession of General Sir 

 Bindon Blood, in which the length is stated to be half- 

 an-inch more. In horns of over 20 inches in length 

 the interval between the tips varies from a minimum of 

 13-^ to a maximum of 24^ inches. Throughout the 

 greater part of the Indian peninsula blackbuck horns 

 rarely exceed 22 inches in length, from 16 to 20 inches 

 being a fair measurement for good specimens. Rajputana 

 and Hurriana are the districts where the longest horns 

 are generally met with. In exceptional instances does 

 develop horns, which are somewhat irregular in shape, 

 and generally curve more or less backwards. 



In does of all ages and in younger bucks the colour 



177 N 



