340 SAIGA. 



their length from the base, and stand in a some- 

 what reclining position : they are distant at the 

 base, and have three curvatures, the last of which 

 points inwards : the head is rather large ; the nose 

 very thick, much arched, and divided longitu- 

 dinally by a small furrow : the neck is slender, 

 but prominent about the throat : the knees are 

 furnished with tufts of hair, and the tail is about 

 four inches long, naked below, but covered above 

 with upright hairs ending in a tuft. 



This animal has been described by Gesner and 

 others under the name of Coins, but it is to Gmelin, 

 Forster, and Pallas, that we are principally indebted 

 for the complete knowledge of its nature and man- 

 ners. They inform us that the Saigas are of a mi- 

 gratory disposition, collecting during the autumn 

 into flocks of some thousands, and retiring into 

 the southern deserts, and in the spring dividing 

 themselves into small flocks, and returning 

 northward, at the same time that the wandering 

 tribes of Tartars change their quarters. The fe- 

 males go with young the whole winter, and bring 

 forth in the northern deserts in May, producing 

 only one young at a birth, which is covered with 

 a soft curling fleece, like that of a new-fallen 

 lamb. It is said that a flock of Saigas seldom lies 

 down all at once, some always acting as a kind 

 of centinels, and being relieved in their turn by 

 others ; and thus they preserve themselves from 

 the attacks both or' wolves and hunters. They 

 are so extremely swift as easily to outstrip the 

 fleetest horse, but cannot run for any great length 



