MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



359 



Karen villagers. The rocky ravines are well timbered and afiord ample 

 shade. Certainly on several of these hills as also those up the Ataran 

 river serow are present, perhaps a couple on a hill or in some favoured 

 locality a few. To hunt these animals a good bund-o-bust is necessary, 

 good beaters who will not evade climbing difficult places, and one or two 

 men acquainted with the habits and haunts of serow to station stops and 

 place the guns. It is not often one can make such arrangements hence 

 unless in great lack one may do a good many stiff climbs and then be 

 disappointed. Prince Henry D'Orleans in his book " Tonkin to India by 

 the sources of the Irrawaddy, " on the trip from Hsekou to Khamti more 

 than once mentions the Nemorhcedus or ' Rock ass ' — a very good name 

 it is. There is no question that serow vary a good deal in colouration, 

 some being very much darker than others and it occurs to me from Mr. 

 Pocock's article that we may have sub-species : rubidus as well as sub- 

 species milne-edwardsii in Burma.* 



With regard to the Burmese Goral my first acquaintance with the skulls 

 was in 1889-90 in the Northern Chin Hills, where some of the Chiefs had a 

 number in their collections. It was however not till 1896 that 1 came on 

 the animal. I then sent a skull to our museum which was identified as 

 that of a female Himalayan Goral. Later on, having doubts as to whether 

 the Burmese animal was the same, I asked a friend in India to shoot one 

 and send me skin and head — this ho did. It was evident then that the 

 Burmese goral differed. It was not for a long time afterwards that I 

 obtained other specimens, when it occurred to me that Mr. Lydekker might 

 like a couple of skins, so I sent two home. As far as 1 am aware there is 

 but the one species in Burma whether found in the Arakan or Shan ranges. 

 The pursuit of these animals and serow afford the ordinary plains loving 

 sportsman as much or more excitement than he bargains for. 



Budorcas. — In the near future I am hoping to hear of some lucky 

 sportsman obtaining a Takin and perhaps the Chinese Musk deer 

 within our frontiers. 1 believe a herd of Budorcas, probably tibelanus, 

 has already been seen, and their tracks have been met with more than 

 once. That they exist on our outlying frontiers has been suspected for 

 a long time past, skulls in many villages being fairly numerous and 

 the hill men offering them as presents. The following measurements are of 

 three Takin skulls from the frontier, probably average specimens. 



Takin skulls from N.-E. Frontier, Burma. 



* The best head I know of in Burma is in the possession of Mr. L. A. 

 and was shot in the Chin Hills. 



Measurements — 



Rght Horn 10-1" 

 Girth base 6^" 

 Le t Horn 10|" 

 Girth 6i" 

 Between tips 5" 

 23 



Thruston 



