

CHAPTER IX. 

 THE INDIAN BISON (Gavaus gaura*). 



A King of Beeves Habitat Measurements of Danger of 

 stalking solitary bulls Bison on the Baba Boodens Stalk- 

 ing in open Trip to Annamullays Virgin forest Toona- 

 cudavoo Carders Their chiefs Mulsers Plan of opera- 

 tions Poolakul Nocturnal noises Tracking Diffidence 

 of Carders Strike a trail Fire a snap-shot Wounded 

 bison Heavy rain Shoot muntjack deer Leeches 

 Aggressive monkey Wound bull He charges and is 

 killed Fresh tracks Wound and kill another bison 

 Am nearly brained by a monkey Bison meat Flowering 

 of bamboo Famine Tiger visits us. 



ACCORDING to naturalists, this animal is not a true bison, 

 his ribs being too few, and his horns being differently 

 shaped, to those of that species. They also say he ought 

 to be called a " gaur ; " however, as he is always known as 

 a bison among Indian sportsmen, it will be convenient to 

 adhere to that term. He is a veritable king of beeves, 

 being larger than any other type of the bovine race, and 

 some sportsmen assert that they have shot them up to 

 twenty-two hands in height, but these measurements were 

 probably taken along the curves and the average height 

 of a good bull is about eighteen and a half hands. 



This magnificent animal inhabits the same type of jungle 

 as the elephant in Southern India, and, broadly speaking, 

 may be said to exist in all primeval forest lands, south of 

 the Eiver Nerbadda, such as the Travancore, Annamallays , 

 and Palney Hills, Wynaad, Coorg, and Canara Forests, 



