288 



CAPRINE. 



Colonel Markham says that " the Tahir in general haunts the rocky 

 faces and grassy slopes of hills free from forest, but occasionally one will 

 be found in a patch of forest. Seen at a distance, it looks like a great 

 wild hog, but when near it is a noble beast. One shot fell 80 yards 

 perpendicular without touching, rebounded and fell again 15 yards more; 

 he got up, went off and was lost. The flesh of the female is tolerable ; 

 that of the male scarcely eatable at any time." 



It is bold and pugnacious, but easily tamed. It is living in the Zoolo- 

 gical Gardens, in London, and has been beautifully figured by Wolf. 



Hodgson relates that a male Jhdral at Nepal had intercourse with a 

 female spotted deer, which produced a hybrid of mixed appearance, more 

 like the mother than the father, which lived and grew up a fine animal. 

 The name Jemlaica (I may state) is taken from the Jumla valley, north 

 of Nepal. 



233. Hemitragus hylocrius. 



Kemas apud OGILBY. BLYTH, Cat. 542. Capra Warryato, GRAY. 

 Warra-ddu or Warri-dtu, Tarn. " Ibex '' of sportsmen on the Neelgher- 

 ries.* Figd. by WOLF, in " My Indian Journal," by Colonel W. Camp- 

 bell, p. 369. 



THE NEELGHERRY WILD GOAT. 



Descr. Adult male dark sepia-brown, with a pale reddish-brown 

 saddle, more or less marked, and paler brown on the sides and beneath; 

 legs somewhat grizzled with white, dark brown in front, and paler pos- 

 teriorly. The head is dark, grizzled with yellowish-brown, and the eye 

 is surrounded by a pale fawn-coloured spot. Horns short, much curved, 

 nearly in contact at the base, gradually diverging ; strongly keeled 

 internally, round externally, with numerous close rings, not so pro- 

 minent as in the last species. There is a large callous spot on the knees 

 surrounded by a fringe of hair, and the male has a short stiff mane on the 

 neck and withers. The hair is short, thick, and coarse. 



Length of adult to root of tail 4 feet 2 to 4 feet 8 ; tail 6 or 7 inches; height 

 at shoulder about 32 to 34 inches; horns occasionally 15 inches, rarely more 

 than 12. Colonel W. Campbell gives the length as 6 feet 5 inches f (inclu- 



* Colonel W. Campbell states that it is called the " Chamois " by Madras sports- 

 men. This name I never heard applied to it. 

 f Query 5 feet 6 inches ? 



