768 THE UNGULATES, OR HOOFED MAMMALS 



proximity. ' ' Both seek the deep and ever-verdant valleys, watered by perennial 

 streams, during the hot months, or from January to May, where they are safe from 

 the jungle fires which sweep the drier localities. With the early rains of April and 

 May a plentiful crop of succulent young grass springs from beneath the black ashes, 

 and the gaur and elephants then roam forth to feed and enjoy their emancipation from 

 the thraldom of the season of scarcity. About September the grass in the hill 

 ranges has become so coarse, and the annoyance from insects during continued 

 rain so great, that the herds move into more open country, and especially into forest 

 tracts at the foot of hill ranges where suitable cover exists. ' ' In such localities the 

 grass is not more than a yard high at the most, and insects are comparatively few. 

 In contradistinction to elephants, gaur never forsake the forest districts for the open 

 plains; but when in the lowland districts are in the habit of visiting the numerous 

 salt licks. 



It must be remembered that the foregoing description applies solely to the gaur 

 of Southern India, and that in the more northern portions of their range, where the 

 seasons are different, there is a corresponding alteration in their habits. When in 

 the lowlands, gaur are apt to catch various diseases prevalent among domestic cattle, 

 and sometimes the herds are decimated from this cause. In Peninsular India the 

 calves are generally born during August and September, although a few are pro- 

 duced from April to June. 



The cries of the gaur are three in number. The first is a loud reverberating 

 bellow, used as a call; the second a low mooing cry, uttered when in alarm, or 

 when the curiosity of the animals is excited; while the third is a kind of whistling 

 snort, heard when the frightened creatures dash off into thicker cover. In India 

 proper the gaur has never been domesticated; and it is but recently that a living 

 example a young one has been exhibited alive in England. The hill tribes of 

 the northeastern portion of India have, however, succeeded in taming these animals. 



Solitary gaur are always very old bulls, which have been driven from the herds 

 by their younger rivals after deadly combats, the marks of which are to be seen on 

 their scored and seamed flanks, as well as in their slit and frayed ears and their bat- 

 tered horns. Mr. Sanderson says that these solitary bulls always have the finest 

 heads and horns, and offer the most noble object of pursuit to the sportsman. The 

 morose and savage disposition commonly attributed to these outcasts is regarded by 

 the same writer as not altogether authenticated. It is true, indeed, that men are 

 sometimes killed by a sudden rush from one of these solitary bulls, but that this is 

 generally owing to the circumstance that the animal has been suddenly surprised, 

 and thereupon starts up and rushes forward without considering what may be 

 in its path. 



Gaur shooting, from the nature of the ground, is invariably under- 

 taken on foot, and, next to elephant shooting, is considered to be the 

 finest sport with the rifle in India. Good trackers are essential to its success; but 

 these are fortunately to be found among the non-Aryan hill tribes of Southern India, 

 who are unsurpassed in the keenness and accuracy with which they follow a trail. 

 The emergence of an old solitary bull gaur on an open glade, among the tall bamboo 

 forests of the hills of Southern India, is described as being one of the finest sights 



