THE SEROWS 847 



The goral is found throughout the outer ridges of the Himalayas, 

 from Kashmir to Bhutan, at elevations of from three thousand to eight 

 thousand feet. In Eastern Tibet its place is taken by the ashy goral (C. cinerea) 

 and the gray goral (C. grisea}; while in Northern China and Amurland it is repre- 

 sented by the long- tailed goral, distinguished by its longer tail. 



The Himalayan goral is generally found in small parties of from 

 four to eight individuals; but sometimes these animals associate only 

 in pairs, and old bucks appear to be generally solitary. They frequent rugged 

 grassy hills or rocky forest-clad ground; and during cloudy weather feed through- 

 out the day, but when fine, only in the morning and evening. Where one goral is 

 seen, there will almost certainly be found others in the neighborhood; and these ani- 

 mals but rarely forsake their feeding grounds. When alarmed, they utter a kind 

 of hissing snort. General Macintyre writes that ' ' goral stalking in the precipitous 

 and broken ground on the middle ranges [of the Himalayas] is perhaps the pleas- 

 antest though not the grandest kind of mountain sport. The amount of stiff climb- 

 ing it entails is quite enough to give it zest, without making it excessively 

 laborious. The sportsman can generally return to his tent to rest during the heat 

 of the day, while the gorals are doing likewise, hidden away among the shady 

 recesses of the rocks, and he can always get back at night to a comfortable bed. ' ' 



THE SEROWS 

 Genus Nemorhcedus 



Nearly allied to the gorals are the more shaggy animals known as serows, or 

 goat-antelopes, which are likewise peculiar to Southeastern and Eastern Asia. Al- 

 though resembling the gorals in their general build, their naked muzzles, short tails, 

 and the presence of four teats in the females, the serows are distinguished by hav- 

 ing a gland beneath the eye, and a corresponding shallow depression in the skull 

 for its reception. Moreover, the plane of the forehead passes imperceptibly into that 

 of the region behind the horns, whereas in the gorals the two are separated by a 

 distinct angle. 



The common serow (Nemorhcedus bubalinus) is a Himalayan species extending 

 from Kashmir to the Mishmi hills, where it is found at elevations of from six to 

 twelve thousand feet. It is much larger than the goral, standing about thirty-seven 

 inches at the shoulders, and the horns of bucks generally measuring from nine to 

 ten inches in length, although they may reach as much as thirteen and one-half 

 inches. The serow is rather an ugly looking animal, with large ears, and coarse 

 and somewhat thin hair of moderate length, which forms a kind of crest along the 

 neck. The head and neck are black, and the rest of the hair of the upper parts 

 black or dark gray, with a more or less distinct grizzle; the muzzle, chin, and inside 

 of the ears are white, and the under parts are also whitish, while the flanks, chest, 

 etc., are rusty red. The black horns curve regularly backward, and in addition to 

 numerous rings, are marked by a number of longitudinal striae. The two sexes are 

 very similar. 



