642 



THE SASIN AND FOUR-HORNED ANTELOPE. 



of walking away when alarmed, in the quietest and most silent manner imaginable, 

 lifting up its feet high from the ground, lest it should haply strike its foot against a dry 

 twig and give an alarm to its hidden foe. Pallahs have also a custom of walking in 

 single file, each following the steps of its leader with a blind confidence ; and when they 

 have settled the direction in which they intend to march, they adhere to their plan, and 

 will not be turned aside even by the presence of human beings. It is not so plain- 

 loving an animal as the spring-bok, but is generally found in or near the district 

 where low brushwood prevails. 



THE wide and comprehensive group of animals which includes the Antelopes is so 

 extremely large that it is impossible in a work of the present dimensions to give 

 illustrations even of the more important species, and we must content ourselves with 

 but brief notices in any case. 



The SASIN, or INDIAN ANTELOPE (Antilope bezodrtica ) , is generally found in herds 

 of fifty or sixty together, each herd consisting of one buck and a large harem of does. 



It is a wonderfully swift animal, and quite despises such impotent foes as dogs and 

 men, fearing only the falcon, which is trained for the purpose of overtaking and attack- 

 ing them, as has already been related of the gazelle. At each bound the Sasin will 

 cover twenty-five or thirty feet of ground, and will rise even ten or eleven feet from the 

 earth, so that it can well afford to despise the dogs. As its flesh is hard, dry, and taste- 

 less, the animal is only hunted by the native chiefs for the sake of the sport, and is 

 always chased with the assistance of the hawk or the chetah, the former of which 

 creatures overtakes and delays it by continual attacks, and the other overcomes by 

 stealthily creeping within a short distance, and knocking over his prey in a few rapid 

 bounds. It is a most wary animal, not only setting sentinels to keep a vigilant watch, 

 as is the case with so many animals, but actually detaching pickets in every direction 

 to a distance of several hundred yards from the main body of the herd. 



The young Sasins are very helpless at the time of their entrance into {he world, and 

 are not able to stand upon their feet for several days, during which time the mother 

 remains in the covert where her little one was born. As soon as it has attained 

 sufficient strength, she leads it to the herd, where it remains during its life, if it should 

 happen to be a doe, but if it should belong to the male sex, it is driven away from its 

 companions by the leading buck, whose jealousy will permit no rivals in his dominions. 

 Forced thus to live by themselves, these exiles become vigilant and audacious, and 

 endeavor to attract mates for themselves from the families of other bucks. 



The horns of this animal are large in proportion to the size of their owner ; their 

 form is spiral, and they diverge considerably at their tips. From the base to the last 

 few inches of the points, the horns are covered with strongly marked rings. In color, 

 the Indian Antelope is grayish-brown or black on the upper parts of the body, and 

 white on the abdomen, the lips, breast, and a circle round the eyes. The outer sides 

 of the limbs, together with the front of the feet and the end of the tail, are nearly black. 

 Some of the oldest and most powerful males are so deeply colored that their coats 

 are tinted with the two contrasting hues of black and white, the fawn tint being al- 

 together wanting. The height of this animal is about two feet six inches at the shoulder. 



A VERY curious species of Antelopes is that which is scientifically known by the 

 name of Tetrdcerus quadricornis, both words bearing the same signification, viz., "four- 

 horned." These singular animals are natives of India, where they are known under 

 the titles of CHOUSINGHA, or CHOUKA, the last word being derived from the native term 

 chouk, a leap, which has been given to the animal in allusion to its habit of making 

 lofty bounds. 



The front pair of horns are very short, and are placed just above the eyes, the hinder 

 pair being much longer, and occupying the usual position on the head. The females 

 are hornless. The color of the Chousingha is a bright bay above and gray- white 

 below, a few sandy hairs being intermixed with the white. The length of the hinder 

 pair of horns is rather more than three inches, while the front, or spurious horns as 

 they are sometimes termed, are only three-quarters of an inch long. The height of the 

 adult animal is about twenty inches. 



