The Chiru, or Tibetan Antelope 



summer. In summer they are much troubled with 

 bots, and their skins are then difficult to preserve 

 in good condition. The Ladakis, who, like most 

 uneducated people, endeavour to find a reason for 

 every peculiarity of structure they do not understand, 

 have a theory that, when pursued, the chiru inflate 

 their inguinal glands with air, and are thus enabled to 

 increase their speed ! General Macintyre describes the 

 flesh of these antelopes as tender and juicy. 



The chiru has never been exhibited alive in England ; 

 and it is doubtful if it would survive the journey to 

 the plains of India. 



THE GOA, OR TIBETAN GAZELLE 



{Gazella picticaudata) 



Native Names. — Goa or Ragao^ Tibetan 



(Plate v, fig. 9) 



Of the three species of gazelle found within the 

 limits of the area treated of in this book, one has horns 

 in both sexes, while in the other two the females are 

 hornless. The goa is one of the two latter, and is 

 specially distinguished by a white disk on the buttocks, 

 surrounding the tail, and the peculiar and sharp back- 

 ward curvature of the horns of the bucks, which are 

 not distinctly hooked at the tip, and have somewhat 

 the shape of a native Indian scimitar, or talwar. 

 Another peculiarity of the goa, which is, however, 

 shared by its larger relative the Mongolian gazelle, is 

 the absence of the dark and light face-streaks occurring 

 in most members of the genus. The tail and ears, as 

 compared with those of more typical gazelles, are short. 

 Another peculiarity is the absence of the usual face- 

 glands below the eyes, the position of which is indicated 



189 



