HEMITRAGUS HYLOCRIUS. 289 



sive of tail) ; height 3 feet 6 inches at the shoulder. These measurements 

 appear to me to be unusually large, and I suspect are erroneous. 



The female and young male are of a dusky olive-brown colour, paler 

 below ; and the very old male appears almost black at a distance, with 

 the pale saddle usually showing conspicuously. The horns of the female 

 are shorter and less stout than those of the male. She has only two 

 teats. 



This wild goat was first described by Gray from a drawing and notes 

 of General Hardwicke, and it was said to have been sent from Nepal 

 and from Chittagong. This is of course erroneous. It has hitherto 

 only been found on the Neelgherry and neighbouring hills, extend- 

 ing south along the Western Ghats nearly to Cape Cornorin. The 

 specific name given by Gray is the Tamul word for rock- or precipice- 

 goat. It is called an Ibex by sportsmen in Madras. It chiefly frequents 

 the northern and western slopes of the Neelgherries, where the hills 

 run down in a succession of steep stony slopes or rocky ridges, to 

 the high table-land of Mysore and the Wynaad, both of which dis- 

 tricts are themselves hilly. It has also been seen on several rocky 

 hills in the interior of the plateau, especially near the so-called 

 Avalanche hill. It is occasionally seen on the summit of the northern 

 and western faces, but more generally some distance down, at an eleva- 

 tion of 4,000 to G,000 feet; and, if carefully looked for, the herd may be 

 seen feeding on an open grassy glade at the foot of some precipice. I 

 have seen above twenty individuals in a flock occasionally, but more 

 generally not more than six or seven. With the large herds there is almost 

 always one very large old male, conspicuous by his nearly black colour. If 

 alarmed or followed, they rush rapidly down hill, and are lost to sight 

 among the inequalities of the ground, or go straight down to the hilly 

 country'at the foot of the slopes. Now and then they have been known 

 to take shelter in woods, through which they will freely pass if followed. 

 They are very wary animals, and from the limited extent of the Neel- 

 gherries have been so much hunted there, that it is difficult (I am told) 

 to get a near shot at them at present. The female is said to produce 

 two young at a birth. 



Besides the Neelgherries, this wild goat occurs in the rocky ranges 

 south of these hills, on 'the Animallies, and along the range of Western 

 Ghats, nearly, I have been informed, to Cape Comorin. It has not been 

 observed in Ceylon. I have no doubt also of its being the wild sheep, 



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