ORDER ARTIODACTYLA I EVEN-TOED UNGULATES 517 



sive, but within the last 100 years it has never been common outside 

 the areas mentioned. Females are protected by law." 



According to the Conservator of Forests of Orissa (in litt., Janu- 

 ary, 1937), the Gaur is not rare. The destruction of forests is re- 

 garded as the reason for the decline in numbers of the Cervidae and 

 Bovidae. In Government Forests in North Orissa there are game 

 sanctuaries and all shooting is regulated. In South Orissa there are 

 no measures for the preservation of game. 



For Bengal the Senior Conservator of Forests gives the following 

 information (in litt., September, 1937) : "Former range: Jalpaiguri, 

 Buxa and Chittagong Forests (common in the last). Present range: 

 Upper-Tondu Forests of Jalpaiguri (30-40), Buxa Forests (50), 

 extreme northern and southern blocks of the Chittagong forests 

 (100). Causes of depletion: rinderpest and poaching in Jalpaiguri, 

 rinderpest infection from cattle in Buxa and poaching in Chittagong 

 forests. Economic use: meat. In Jalpaiguri shooting is closed for 

 the whole year. In Buxa Forests a game sanctuary to an extent of 

 26 sq. miles is being maintained; grazing of domestic cattle has 

 been prohibited. In Chittagong forests restriction has been made 

 with respect to numbers to be shot in any year." 



Burmese Gaur; Burmese Bison 



BIBOS GAURUS READEI (Lydekker) 



Bos gaums readei Lydekker, Zoologist, ser. 4, vol. 7, p. 266, 1903. ("Myitekyina, 



in Upper Burma.") 

 FIGS.: De Barthelemy, 1930, pi. 2; Field Mus. News, vol. 4, no. 5, p. 1, fig., 



1933; Peacock, 1933, pis. 10-13; Thorn, 1934, pi. 2. 



The numerical status of the Burmese Gaur varies considerably 

 according to locality, and consequently the accounts of different 

 observers vary likewise. In general, however, there is evidently 

 need of better protection for this animal, which is certainly one of 

 the finest of existing bovines. 



"Characterized by the tall stature, dark, nearly black, body- 

 colouring, thickly haired, fringed ears, the presence of a dewlap 

 furnished with a fringe or tuft of hair in adult bulls, the downward 

 extension of the tawny grey area on the forehead, and in some cases 

 by a tawny band round the lower part of the jaw just above the 

 muzzle" (Lydekker, 1913, vol. 1, p. 20). The body color is jet 

 black in old bulls; black, with a sprinkling of chestnut-brown hairs, 

 in young bulls and cows; and light brown to chestnut in calves. 

 The "stockings" vary from white to light golden yellow. (Peacock, 

 1933, p. 100.) The record length of horn on the outside curve is 

 33i inches (Ward, 1935, p. 315). 



The range of this subspecies, while not thoroughly worked out, 



