412 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



Gnus is bold in broad daylight, when roaming over their native 

 plains. Wheeling about in endless circles, and performing the 

 most extraordinary variety of intricate evolutions, the shaggy 

 herds of these fierce-looking animals are for ever capering and 

 gambolling round the hunter on every side. Singly, and in small 

 troops of four or five individuals, the old bull wildebeests may 

 be seen stationed at intervals throughout the plains, standing 

 motionless during a whole forenoon coolly watching with a 

 philosophic eye the movements of the other game, eternally 

 uttering a loud snorting noise, and also a short sharp cry which 

 is peculiar to them. When the hunter approaches these old bulls 

 they commence whisking their long white tails in a most 

 eccentric manner, then springing suddenly into the air, they 

 begin prancing and capering, and pursue each other in circles 

 at their utmost speed. When wounded they will sometimes 

 turn upon the hunter and pursue him in turn, darting forwards 

 on their assailant with amazing force and impetuosity, so that 

 it requires the utmost coolness on his part to evade their 

 attack. 



In India the Antilopa cervicapra is consecrated to the moon, 

 and takes the place of the Capricorn among the signs of the 

 zodiac. Numberless poems praise the beauty of this graceful 

 animal, which resembles our fallow deer, but is somewhat smaller, 

 and of a far more elegant shape. Such is its fleetness and 

 activity that it often vaults over nets ten feet high, and when 

 pursued will pass over as many yards at a single bound. 



The native haunts of the Nylghau 



(A. pida) are the dense forests of 



India. In the, days of Aiu'ung- 



zebe, these large and fine antelopes 



abounded between Delhi and Lahore, 



where they were frequently chased 



by that mighty monarch, his army 



of hunters inclosing them within 



a limited space by means of nets. 



The G-reat Mogul and his omrahs, 



attended by their huntsmen, then entered and, somewhat after 



the manner of a modern battue, dispatched them with their 



arrows and spears. 



The wild Caffrarian Buffalo {Buhalus Gaffer)^ the strongest 



