126 THE GOORAL. 



presence of man. It is often found within a few hundred yards of villages, and it appears to 

 take little notice of the proximity of flocks and herds. It seems to be much attached to its 

 own particular haunts, and will not desert a locality unless very frequently frightened and dis- 

 turbed. It usually inhabits steep rocky hills, where there are occasional bushes and patches 

 of forest, and it shows a marked preference for cliffs which overhang mountain torrents. 

 Although, as has already been mentioned, it is not usually to be met with at very great 

 elevations, it must not be inferred that it is generally found on easy ground : on the contrary, 

 as every sportsman knows, the lower parts of the valleys are frequently the steepest and 

 most difficult walking. It requires, indeed, a good cragsman to follow Gooral in their usual 

 haunts ; and it often occurs that they betake themselves to utterly inaccessible precipices, 

 or to places where, if shot, they can never be recovered. 



Although Gooral are accustomed to seeing shepherds, woodcutters, grasscutters, and 

 other hill-men, whose avocations lead them to the hill-side and the jungle, and therefore 

 take but little notice of human beings at a distance, they are by no means easily approached 

 by the stalker. I know of few animals that are more wide awake, and I consider it much 

 easier to obtain a quiet shot at an Ibex than at an old buck Gooral. In the first place, a 

 Gooral, from his small size and inconspicuous color, is by no means easy to see at a distance, 

 unless on very open ground ; and in the second place, he is so quick in his movements, and 

 so remarkably watchful, that great care must be exercised in approaching him. Even when 

 a stalk has been successfully carried out, a Gooral affords such a small mark, that accurate 

 shooting is required. 



Gooral are not actually gregarious, but often feed in small parties, or may be seen 

 scattered about at no great distance from each other. Old bucks are, as a rule, to be found 

 alone. As the horns of both sexes are small, it is not always easy to distinguish bucks from 

 does, unless there is time to examine them carefully through a telescope. This is rather a 

 drawback to the real sportsman, who will always spare the females of all game as much as 

 possible ; and as the number of does seems to be very much in excess of that of bucks, 

 the hunter often only becomes aware of the mistake he has made in the sex of the Gooral 

 fired at when too late to remedy it. 



Gooral appear to dislike the sun, although they are indifferent to heat ; and in bright 

 weather they only feed in the early mornings and evenings, retiring during the day to the 

 shelter of overhanging rocks or shady trees. Under such circumstances, it is nearly useless 

 to hunt for them, as they will not move until their hiding place is discovered, when they start 

 off at a pace which seldom' gives a chance of a successful shot. 



Gooral are occasionally shot by being driven out of cover, the guns being posted in the 

 most likely passes ; and under such circumstances, the shot gun is often employed instead of 

 the rifle. Of course, they are more easily bagged in this way than by stalking them with the 

 rifle ; but I do not consider it legitimate sport. 



The best way to hunt them is (having discovered a good hill) to be on the ground by 

 daylight, and work along the face of the hill, keeping as high up as possible. Every slope 

 should be carefully examined, and on reaching the edge of each ravine, it should be 



