CHAPTER XV. 



THE NEILGHERRY (OR NILGIRI) IBEX 



(Hemitragus Hylocrius) 



I ^ H E wild goat, which is, by a misnomer, termed 

 1. the " Neilgherry Ibex," is an animal allied to 

 the tahr of the Himalayas, but, as by the name of 

 "ibex" he is known all over Southern India, it is 

 inadvisable in his case to attempt more rigid 

 nomenclature. 



The Neilgherry ibex is found only upon the hill 

 ranges of Southern India, and is a very local 

 animal, possessing but a limited range of distri- 

 bution. 



The Neilgherries, Anaimalais, Western Ghauts, 

 Pulney Hills, and a few smaller ranges which are 

 spurs of the above, form the habitat of this splendid 

 wild goat, which rejoices in precipices, and can 

 move at speed over ground which, even with the 

 greatest care and circumspection, no man could 

 traverse. 



Although the Neilgherry ibex prefers the open 

 grassy slopes for grazing purposes, he will, when 

 alarmed, betake himself to forest without hesitation ; 

 and cunning old bucks particularly in localities in 

 which they have been much disturbed are very 



267 



