CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE INDIAN GAZELLE. 



Gazella Bennettii. 



Generally throughout India. — Chikdrd. 



In the Punjab. — Herni. 



The Indian Gazelle or Chikara is better known to sportsmen by its misnomer of 

 ' Ravine Deer.' 



In former days naturalists were few, and hunters in foreign lands had loose ideas of 

 nomenclature ; for instance, the American Bison was called a Buffalo, a name which it has 

 retained to the present day ; while no distinction was made between the hollow horned and 

 antlered ruminants, any horned animal of slender build being classed as a deer. 



The prefix, in the present instance, is not inapplicable ; for although frequently found on 

 open plains, the Indian Gazelle is undoubtedly partial to broken and slightly hilly ground, 

 much intersected by ravines. 



The Gazelle is widely distributed throughout the drier parts of India, but is not, so far 

 as I am aware, to be met with in the moister regions, such as Lower Bengal. It is common 

 in the rocky and sandy districts of the North-West Provinces, and abounds in the Punjab, 

 particularly along the skirts of the Bikanir desert. It is found all along the north-west 

 frontier and in Sindh, and extends into Afghanistan at least as far as the Jalalabad valley. 



Farther west its place is probably taken by Gazella sub-gutturosa, a very nearly allied 

 species, but I do not know the exact limits which separate the two. 



The grace and elegance of the Gazelle, and the beauty of its soft dark eye, are prover- 

 bial ; and the animal is almost too well known to require description. The color is a reddish 

 fawn on the upper parts, and white beneath, with lines of a darker hue on the face and legs. 

 The tail is about five inches long, it is jet black, and constantly in motion. The legs are 

 very slender. 



The horns of the buck vary from ten to fourteen inches in length : they are ringed to 

 within three inches of the points, and are slightly curved : they are of close grain, black, 

 and sharp pointed. 



The female is a little smaller than the male ; her horns are thin, nearly straight and very 

 slightly ringed : they rarely exceed six inches in length. 



