270 BOVID^E. 



The Indian Mouse-deer is found in all the large forests of India from 

 the extreme south to the foot of the Himalayas, but it does not occur at 

 any great elevation, and I have rarely seen it from higher altitude than 

 about 2,000 feet. It is much more abundant in the south of India than 

 towards the north, and is certainly rare in the Himalayan Terai. It is 

 not included among the list of Hodgson's Collections, presented to the 

 British Museum, but Blyth says he has seen it from Nepal, and certainly 

 Mr. Hodgson named it as above. I made many inquiries about it in 

 various parts near the foot of the hills, but could get no precise 

 information as to its actually occurring there. It is unknown in the 

 countries to the eastward of the Bay of Bengal. It abounds in the 

 forests of Malabar, and also occurs in some of the denser portions of the 

 woods of the Eastern Ghats. It is by no means rare in Central India, 

 and Tickell has given some interesting details of its habits, from which 

 I have taken the subsequent account. 



The animal walks on the tips of its hoofs, which gives the legs a rigid 

 appearance, and the natives say that it has no knee-joint, and that, in 

 order to rest, it is obliged to lean against a tree. It never ventures into 

 the open country \ keeps a good deal among rocks ; and it is said not to 

 go out much about the fall of the leaf, as its sharp hoofs penetrate the 

 leaves, which clog its movements. They rut in June and July, and the 

 female brings forth two young towards the end of the rains, or beginning 

 of the cold weather. 



The Mouse-deer is timid but easily domesticated, and has bred in 

 confinement. 



Four or five species of Tragulus are known from the Malayan pro- 

 vince, one of which, Tragulus Kanchil, occurs as high north as the 

 Tenasserim provinces. 



We next come to the numerous and important tribe of the hollow- 

 horned ruminants, Cavicornia of some, to which belong, cattle, goat, 

 sheep, and antelope. In all these the horn consists of a conical bony 

 process of the frontal bone, covered by a sheath of horny matter which 

 is permanent, and is mostly present in both sexes. Their dentition is 

 the same as that of deer. They form one family. 



Fam. BOVID^E. 



Canines rarely present. Horns in both sexes, or in the males only? 

 composed of a bony nucleus or core, and a persistent horny sheath ; 



