w 



NOTES ON THE RACES OF SEROW, OR 

 GOAT-ANTELOPE, FOUf^D IN SIAM. 



BY A. 4. io:^wix. 



At tlie ]\reetkig -in June last tke skin of a vety fine specitiien of 

 tiie Sero*v or Goat- Antelope was exbibitetl, wliicli lijid been shot at; 

 Koh Hlak b\' Mr. Butler, and I noticed then that tlie colouration 

 'differed somewhat tVorn that of other specimens I had seen. I had 

 previously been of the apinion that more species or sub'^jpecies than ona 

 of this animal ai"e to be found in >Siaai, and 1 am now sure that this is 

 «o. As the matter is of considerable interest, I have prepared the 

 ifbllowing notes in the hope that they may be of tise in identifying 

 these species or s-ub-species. 



Briefly, it maj^ be stated that the Serows belong to a group of 

 ruminants including the Serows, Gorals and Taking, which inhabit 

 the hilly and mountainous districts of north-em and eastern Asia, and 

 are popularly known as the Goat-Antelopes. The two latter genera do 

 not concern this paper, but it may be mentioned that the Serows 

 •differ from the Gorals, their nearest relations, in their larger size, 

 their greater length of limb but shorter tail, aiid in the presence of a 

 special gland on the face, in front of the eye. This gland, although 

 not very noticeable on the outside, is sufficiently large to form a deep 

 impression on the bone beneath, and can be readily distinguished in 

 the skull of any S.u'ow, jtist in front of the orbit. The ears are long, 

 the body covered with sparse, coarse hairs, almost amounting to 

 bristl-es, and there may or ma}'' not be a wild bristly-looking mane. 



In colouration the Serow is verj- variable and it is owing to this 

 fact, and to the hick of a sufficient number of specimens for e.xamina- 

 tion, that confusion lias arisen betv.-een the various authorities who 

 have attempted to describe the animal. The latest authorit}'- to 

 write upon this subject is Mr. H. I. Pocock, Superinttndent of the 

 Zook gical Gardens in London, who has detcribed * no less than 8 



* Journal of tin- BK)iiil)ay Natural rii;<tor\- Socit'tv, Vul. XIX, X'o. 4 

 and Vol. XXll, Xo 1'. 



