NYL-GHAU. 91 



so shaggy. The horns are black, slender, upright, about 

 eight inches in height, and hooked backward at the tip. 

 The colour of the body is a dusky yellowish-brown ; 

 and the cheeks, chin, throat, and belly, are yellowish- 

 1 white. 



Nyl-ghau. The mode in which these animals combat 

 each other is not a little singular : they drop on their 

 fore knees, and advancing in this posture, they spring 

 up when within a few yards, and furiously dart upon 

 each other. In their general habits they are sufficiently 

 harmless and gentle, and will even permit themselves 

 to be handled by their keepers, without in the least 

 attempting to resent the familiarity. In the states of the 

 Mogul, these animals are kept in open grounds, in the 

 same manner as deer are kept in our parks, and that 

 chiefly for the purpose of being hunted. Their flesh is 

 held in great esteem. In a wild state, they are found in 

 the interior and most retired parts of India. Several in- 

 dividuals have, at different times, been brought into 

 England. They bear the climate sufficiently well, and 

 have even produced young ones in this country. 



The Nyl-ghau, which is a peculiarly elegant animal, 

 generally measures about four feet in height at the 

 shoulder. Its horns are short, and bend somewhat for- 

 ward. On the neck, and about half way along the back, 

 it has a short, black mane; and on the fore part of the 

 throat there is a long tuft of black hairs. The colour of 

 the male is a dark grey, and of the female, pale brown. 

 There are white spots, or marks, on the neck, the chest, 

 and each of the feet. The tail is long, and tufted at the 

 end. 



