310 THE TSOS. 



it more quietly, reached the top of the brae just in time to 

 see the buck before he disappeared, much to their disappoint- 

 ment, which I think was equalled by their astonishment at 

 finding me lying panting on the ground without making any 

 attempt to stop him. 



It was some time before I recovered breath enough to 

 follow the buck, which both the men said I had missed ; but 

 as I was now quite sure he was hit, and badly too, I pro- 

 ceeded towards the ravine at a much more moderate pace. 

 As we neared it, I lay down, and gradually worming myself 

 along for some distance over the sharp loose stones, slowly 

 raised my head. There, as I had half expected, lay the buck 

 about a hundred yards off in the ravine. Before I could get 

 my elbows well planted on the ground and the rifle levelled, 

 he was up and making off again, when, to the great delight of 

 old Changter, who had crawled up beside me, the report of 

 the rifle was followed by the buck throwing back his horns, 

 tottering forward a few yards, and falling struggling on his 

 side. 



Whilst the men were skinning and cutting him up, there 

 was ample time to note his general appearance ; and as he 

 was a good average specimen of a buck tsos, a short descrip- 

 tion of the Tibetan antelope (Kemas Hodgsonii] may perhaps 

 interest those who have never seen this animal. He measures 

 from thirty-two inches to thirty-four inches at the shoulder ; 

 thick and soft, almost woolly pile, of a very pale-yellowish 

 grey on the body, merging into white below the chest, inside 

 the legs, and on the stern ; dark-brown marks down the front 

 of the legs, on the fore ones extending up to the shoulder ; 

 an almost black patch on the face from between the eyes 

 downwards ; muzzle very thick and coarse, with an odd kind 

 of puffy protuberance beside each nostril possibly a pro- 

 vision of nature for assisting respiration at the very high 

 altitude this animal affects; another curious glandular pro- 

 tuberance in each groin; tail about four inches long and 



