GAVJEUS GAURUS, 303 



rally, above the white. The hind quarters are lighter and lower than the 

 fore, falling suddenly from the termination of the dorsal ridge. The skin 

 on the neck, shoulders, and thighs is very thick, being about 2 inches 

 and more. 



The cow differs from the bull in having a slighter and more graceful 

 head, a slender neck, no hump, and the points of the horns do not turn 

 towards each other at the tip, but bend slightly backwards ; and they 

 are much smaller; the legs, too, are of a purer white. The very young 

 bull has the forehead narrower than the cow, and the bony frontal ridge 

 scarcely perceptible. The horns too turn more upwards. In old indivi- 

 duals the hair on the upper parts is often worn off. The skin of the under 

 parts when uncovered is deep ochrey-yellow. 



A few additional measurements are added from Elliot. 



Length from nose to root of tail 9 feet 6 J inches ; height at shoulder 

 6 feet 1 J inch ; at rump 5 feet 3 inches ; tail 2 feet 10J inches ; length of 

 dorsal ridge 3 feet 4 inches ; height of dorsal ridge 4 J inches ; head from 

 muzzle to top of frontal ridge 2 feet If inch; breadth of forehead 1 foot 

 3 J inches; ear 10 J inches; circumference of horn at base 1 foot 7J 

 inches ; distance between the points of the horns 2 feet 1 inch. 



The horns are smooth and polished ; and in old individuals are generally 

 broken off at both tips. They are slightly flattened at the base. 



The Gaur is an inhabitant of all the large forests of India, from near 

 Cape Comorin to the foot of the Himalayas. On the west coast of India 

 it is abundant all along the Syhadree range or Western Ghats, both in the 

 forests at the foot of the hills, but more especially in the upland forests, and 

 the wooded country beyond the crest of the Ghats. The Amrnally hills, 

 the Neelgherries, Wynaad, Coorg, the Bababooden hills, and the Maha- 

 bleshewur hills, are all favourite haunts of this fine animal. North of this it 

 occurs, to my own knowledge, in the jungles on the Taptee river, and 

 neighbourhood, and, north of the Nerbudda, a few on the deeper recesses 

 of the Yindhian mountains. On the eastern side of the peninsula it is 

 found in the Pulney and Dindigul hills, the Shandamungalum range, the 

 Shervaroys, and some of the hill-ranges near Yellore and the borders of 

 Mysore. North of this, the forest being too scanty, it does not occur till 

 the Kishna and Godavery rivers ; and hence it is to be found in suitable 

 spots all along the range of Eastern Ghats to near Cuttack and Midna- 

 pore, extending west far into Central India, and northwards towards the 

 edge of the great plateau which terminates south of the Gangetic valley. 



