THE SEROWS THE ROCKY-MOUNTAIN GOAT 63 



THE SEROWS 



THE Serows, like the Gorals, are stoutly-built, thick-coated animals, with 

 short backwardly-curved horns. They are of good size for this group, 

 about equalling a Donkey, and rather resembling one owing to their 

 long ears. There are several species or races, ranging from the 

 Himalayas to Sumatra and Tibet, and these differ much in colour. 

 The typical Himalayan Serow (Nemorhcedus bubalinus), however, is 

 mostly black, with tan on the flanks, and the belly and legs white. 

 This is a scarce animal, generally solitary, and frequenting forest- 

 clad slopes ; awkward and uncouth as it looks, it is very active, 

 especially in going down hill, and is a beast of the highest courage, 

 being even able to make a good fight against the dreaded Dholes, 

 and having been known to charge to avenge its wounded mate. It 

 has only recently been exhibited at Regent's Park. 



THE ROCKY-MOUNTAIN GOAT 



(Haploceros montanus) 



THIS is one of the most extraordinary-looking of all ruminants; in 

 form it is very stout and thickset, with short legs, and carries the 

 head low; and, as it has a pure white coat, very long and thick in 

 winter, there is something about it which strongly suggests the Polar 

 Bear. Its horns are short, black, curved backwards, and sharply 

 pointed, with a swollen gland behind them ; the ears are quite short. 

 In size this animal may be compared to a large Goat, though the 

 thick fur makes it look larger than it is. It is one of the few mem- 

 bers of the hollow-horned ruminants found in America, where it lives 

 at the upper limits of forest growth in the Rocky Mountains. 



It is a wonderful climber, though its mountaineering feats are 

 performed more by sheer muscular power and flexibility of limb than 

 by bounding and springing like most mountain animals. It is very 

 rare in captivity, and a male that has thriven well there for years is 

 one of the greatest treasures of our Zoological Gardens, being the 

 only living specimen in Europe. 



