112 JOUL'^AL, NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY OF STAM. Vol. I. 



The whole body skin was greasy, but not markedly so, as were the neck 

 and parts just referred to. 



The Karen guide stated this was the period of " mustli " y but 

 I was not previousl}'' aware, nor have I anywhere read, that any Bovine 

 lias a " musth " period, and should be glad to know whether any 

 members have shot Gaur in this state, and also, whether January is the 

 breeding season. Both the domestic buffalo and cattle of the country 

 breed in March. 



Since the skull of this animal is bigger than that recorded by 

 Blanford (Fauna B. I.) and the horns are flatter and less curved, and 

 also have a greater tip to tip splay, than any recorded by Rowland 

 Ward (Records of Big Game, 1907), it may be of interest to give a full 

 description of this animal, more especially as Lydekker (Game Animals 

 of India, 1907), speaks of Burmese and Malayan varieties which 

 differ in some respects from the typical Bos gaurus of India. 



Height. At the shoulder 174 2 cm. (69 in.) 



LengtJt. Nose to root of tail 26b cm. (102 in. ); Tail 100 cm, 

 (39 in.); the total length thus being 141 in. against 148 in. recorded 

 by Ward. Girth 277 cm. (109 in.). Other measurements taken 

 were : Frontal ridge to tip of nose GO cm. (23.6 in.). Ear 32 cm. 

 (13 in.). Knee to tip of hoof 55 cm. Hock to tip of hoof 66 cm. , 



Colour. Face and cheeks black and thickly covered with short 

 hair, intermixed on the central line beneath lower jaw with hairs 

 Tip to 2.5 in. long. Poll, frontal ridge and forehead to ripper level 

 of eyes, light sandy or dirty white, the hair being upwards of 2 in. 

 in length on the forehead. This colour graded into dark brown and 

 merged with the black below the eyes. There was no band of tawny 

 above the naked muzzle, nor did I notice the long hair on the throat 

 figured by Lydekker for the Burmese variety, or the presence of a 

 dewlap. The lips were fringed with hair of creamy-white, brownish- 

 yellow being intermixed beneath lower lip. The upper inners of ears 

 were fringed with long hairs of dirty white and golden yellow, 

 llemainder of body, thinly haired, very dark brown. Tail black with 

 long reddish-grey hairs intermixed. The legs from above the knees 

 and hocks downwards, greyish-white, the creases behind the joints 

 being reddish-white, 



Dimensio/is of Slitill. Basal length 19,3 in. Zygomatic breadth 

 9.95 in. 



