Il6 CHARMS AND ATTRACTIONS OF THE PURSUIT OF IBEX. 



were extremely wild, which was accounted for from their 

 having been lately harassed by hill men, the Moodowas, who 

 had constructed across one of their runs, a barrier of stout 

 bushes, forming a strong hedge, with weak places ten or 

 twelve feet apart ; across which a strong running noose was 

 firmly secured. The ibex were then driven up to these 

 barriers and were ruthlessly snared and shot. 



Jerdon's description of this animal is as follows : — 

 "The adult male is a dark sepia brown, with a pale reddish 

 brown saddle more or less marked, and paler brown on the 

 sides and beneath. Legs somewhat grizzled with white, 

 dark brown in front, and paler posteriorly. The head is 

 dark, grizzled with yellowish brown, and the eye is sur- 

 rounded by a pale fawn-coloured ring. Horns short, much 

 curved, nearly in contact at the base, gradually diverging, 

 strongly keeled internally, round externally, with numerous 

 close rings not so prominent as in the Tahr. There is a 

 large callous spot on the knees surrounded by a fringe of 

 hair, and the male has a short stiff mane on the neck and 

 withers. The hair is short, thick and coarse." 1 



It was on the 6th of March, 1854 that I killed my first 

 ibex. I had gone on the 2nd with Brine to an old ruined 

 Tappu Station between the Avalanche and Sispara. We 

 walked the last fourteen miles to get ourselves in trim. On 

 arriving, I found my tent already pitched and all very com- 

 fortable. The next morning, the 3rd, we were out by six 

 o'clock and went over a mountain where Brine a short time 



1 Mr. Lydeker, in an article in the Field newspaper of March 19th, 

 1892, states that the Nielgherry ibex has a beard, which forms another 

 point of distinction between the Wariatu and the Tahr. This appears 

 to be a mistake, as the ibex of the Nielgherries has no beard. — Ed. 



