21 JOVJ^XAL, XATI'nAL JffST. SO^'IETY OF STAM. Vol. L 



the day tlaie^ According" to tire general account of tlie natives, it 

 hardl}^ ever goes off the hills except when moving from a hill to a 

 neighbouring one. I am inclined to doubb this as 1 have found its 

 tracks in a clearing near the Frasak river a few miles north of Saraburi 

 about half way between the hills and the river, which are there som^e 

 two miles aj^art. 1 have also found its tracks in the paddi iields al>out 

 halt a mile from the hills near Na Yang in Petchaburi, and I have 

 always been of the opinion that it only makes such expeditions at 

 night, and then ])robably in search of vrater. I have been informed 

 by Dr. Smith, however, that the Serow at Koh Hlak. when he wr^a 

 there in November 1912, regularly came off the hiill in the early 

 morning, and again in the afternoon as early as -i p. m., and fed in a 

 clearing at its base, with a couple of Chinam.en often at work withii.i 

 200 yards of them. One was shot feeding in a plantation by the sea- 

 shore, at least 40U yards from the hill and within 100 j'ards of Mr. 

 Butler'^s bungalow. The particular hill referred to is fairly thickly 

 covered with vegetation at its base, much less so near the summit. 



Ill every place where I have heard of Serow, except in the 

 neighbourliood of Koh likik. there was at all events some possibility 

 »f their finding water in order to g^et an occasional drink. They cer- 

 tainlv cannot need imich water^ however, and must be able to do with- 

 out it for considerable periods. At Koh Hlak, for instance. I must 

 say 1 do not understand how they can get anything to driidc in the dr}^ 

 season, l)Rt the natives there have settled the- questio-n to their own 

 satisfaction ; they say the animals ck-ink seawater. 



1 cronsider the flesh of the iSerow very jxilatable ; It is dark 

 coloured and tastes not unlike good tender ])eef. 



The Serow moves tairty fast an hills, but carefully as a rule, and 

 going down hill often appears to be getting along slower than it really 

 is,, owing to its habit of looking before it leaps. Tlie- article in the 

 Badminton Library on this ai\imal says that "the Sei'ow's chief accom- 

 " plishment is the way he can gallop down a steep hilL and as he 

 " invariably takes that course when disturbed, lie can be easily driven, 

 '■' i)rovided the groinid is well known." My experience is almost 

 entirely the opposite of this, as 1 have found that it always seek* the 

 high tops of the hills when driven, (ioing up hill it does not seem to- 

 bound or jumj) oi" gallo[), but goes rapidly u})wards in a sort of eveii' 

 vmnning scrandile. dodging ob.^tacles and giving OLie tlie impressiois 



