SHOOTING IBEX IN BALUCHISTAN 



Finally, there is the nilghi,* a name presumably given 

 it originally by the natives on account of its appearance, 

 "nil" being the Hindustani for "blue," and " ghi " 

 meaning a " cow." I know very little of this animal, 

 which, though classed as an antelope, more resembles a 

 deer without horns, though the bull has short horns of 

 about nine inches. 



It is of a decidedly blue-grey colour and about the size 

 of a sambar. It is found in various parts of India, but in 

 Bengal is hardly considered as game, because, owing to 

 its docile and confiding disposition, it affords no real sport 

 and is consequently seldom hunted. A solitary bull will 

 give a good run at times. 



When shooting in Baluchistan I was very fortunate in 

 procuring some very fine specimens of the ibex, or wild 

 goat,f of Asia Minor. This animal is about the size of a 

 small donkey and of much the same colour, being of a 

 brownish-grey, with an almost black line down the back. 



The males have long beards and horns of the usual 

 ibex type, but differ from those of the various species in 

 that they have no distinct front surface only notches, 

 these being irregular and some distance apart. In some 

 of the animals the horns curve inwards at the tips, whilst 

 in others the curve is outwards, those with the latter 

 formation being the most prized. 



The females are lighter in colour than the male and 

 have small horns and no beard. 



The wild goat is found singly or in herds of from ten to 

 twenty. They inhabit lofty mountain ranges, and as with 

 all the ibex tribe are extremely shy and very difficult to 

 approach. 



I well remember once in Sind following the track of a 

 solitary ibex for over thirty miles along a mountain path, 

 which lead so persistently upwards that even my wild 

 Baluchi shikari showed signs of giving in. 



We plodded along, however, and just as the day was 

 waning, sighted our quarry some fifty yards ahead of us. 

 There was little or no cover, and as we sank down, scarcely 

 daring to breathe, the ibex threw up his head and looked 



* Bnselephos Tragocamelus. t Capra hircuslelythi. 



H 97 



