ANTELOPES. 



279 



Zfl To T 1 , mCheS t0 * fGet 8 inch6S at the withera > bu * » is stated 

 that 4 feet 10 inches has been measured. The cows are much smaller. The black 



horns average 8 or 9 inches in length, with a basal girth of 8 inches ■ but one nX 



has been recorded with a length of llf and a girth of 9J inches ? 



Distribution. . Tlie n[] f} « exclusively an Indian animal, being quite unknown 



in Ceylon. Even in India its distribution is restricted, as it does not 



occur m Eastern Bengal or Assam nor, apparently, near the Malabar coast. Foid 







THE nilgai (,"„ nat. size). 



SSaS^mi ^Tf r! S 1 CentraI Indk ' aDd als ° in the Pliocene ^stones 

 or the biwalik Hills at the foot of the Himalaya. 



Habits. Nil gai may be found either on the plains or in low hills generallv 



low trees or Kf"?* "T* T- ^ ^ thin ^ """^ which are «"*«* 



elm It ^ T ? f rUb " JUngle WHh ° pen graSS ^ P kinS - «"* « bu * 



ZL met Th T u ,; n tlHCk f ° re f ' ***** far from un ^quent on cultivated 



SS wh,V ,• ^ JT"^ S ° litary ' but «***»»% assemble in small 



Tn e f m ' T rdmg t0 Ml '- Blanf01 ' d ' ""* indude as ma "y as ^ dozen head. 



Ihe females and calves are generally found in parties of from four to ten, but 

 sometimes in herds of from fifteen to twenty or more, and they are on ome 



