xx THE ANTELOPE 331 



graceful and sporting animal of the tribe. In some portions of 

 India it is exceedingly numerous, while in other parts it is so 

 extremely rare that it cannot be classed among the fauna of the 

 district. 



This animal is gregarious, and is generally seen in herds of 

 twenty or thirty individuals. It inhabits vast plains and infests 

 the crops of the natives, especially when the young wheat is about 

 9 inches high. I have seen exceptional herds, comprising several 

 hundred individuals, but it is seldom that they are met with in 

 such great numbers united, although many hundreds may be scat- 

 tered in small groups over the area of a few square miles. 



There is nothing more lovely than a fine black-buck about 

 eight years old, when the coat looks as black as pitch, contrasted 

 with the snow-white markings of the belly, face, and throat. The 

 females are a rich yellowish brown, with white thighs and bellies ; 

 these never change their colour, and they are devoid of horns. 

 The males require three years for the skin to darken, and it is 

 of common occurrence to find a buck with horns of 20 inches in 

 length, although it has not commenced to assume the jet-black 

 coat. I do not think they are really and thoroughly black until 

 they are six years old. The hide darkens by degrees, and in a 

 herd of twenty animals there will probably be several bucks of 

 different gradations, but only one that has attained the maximum 

 of colour ; this will be without exception the " master-buck " 

 which dominates the herd. This little lord of his small court 

 enforces a thorough discipline, and when the young bucks, in the 

 presumption of youth and good looks, pay too much devotion to 

 the fair sex of the party, it is a pretty sight to see the master-buck, 

 with horns thrown back and nose in air, curling his upper lip in 

 high disdain, as he prepares to chastise the sinning youngster for 

 his audacity. After stepping proudly around the does, as though 

 warning them against the feminine weakness for admiration, he 

 makes a savage onset upon the love-sick buck, prods him with his 

 spear-pointed horns, and drives him ignominiously from the herd. 

 He then returns proudly to his ladies, marches alongside each of 

 the younger bucks, as though to caution them, by the recent 

 example, against any excess of devotion to the does. 



This seems to be the all-absorbing employment of the master- 

 buck, to preserve order and to support his conjugal rights in a 

 limited society of about twenty lovely females and five or six 

 young aspirants of various ages. 



In other herds there may be two or three thoroughly black 

 bucks, in which case the personal combats are both fierce and 



