THE BLACK-TAILED ANTELOPE. 207 



hundu, devoting the whole time to the chase of the 

 black-tailed antelope, which we first saw here. 



The black-tailed antelope, or, as the Mongols 

 call it, the kara-sulta^ [Ant Hope stcbgutiicrosa), in 

 size and appearance closely resembles the dzeren, 

 but differs from the latter in its black tail (seven 

 to eight inches long), which it holds up and often 

 switches from side to side. This antelope inhabits 

 Ordos and the desert of Gobi, being distributed as 

 far north as about 45° N. lat. On the south it is 

 met with throughout Ala-shan as far as Kan-su, and 

 then, omitting this province and the basin of Lake 

 Koko-nor, it is again found in the saline marshy- 

 plains of Tsaidam. 



It selects for its habitation the wildest and most 

 barren parts of the desert, or small oases in the 

 midst of sand-drifts. Unlike the dzeren, it avoids 

 the rich pasturage and is satisfied with the scantiest 

 food in its endeavours to shun mankind. We were 

 always at a loss to know what it could find to drink 

 in such spots. Certainly, judging from its tracks, it 

 will visit by night a spring or even a well, but we 

 have found it in a barren desert where not a 

 drop of water could be found for 60 or 70 miles 

 round. It can probably exist for a long time with 

 out water, feeding on a few juicy plants of the kali 

 family. 



The kara-sultas are generally found single, in 

 pairs, or in small detachments of three to seven ; 

 it very rarely happens, and that only in winter, that 



• Kara-sulta siirnifies ' black-tailed.' 



