364 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



standing hair down to the withers, and upon the throat a 

 long tuft of coarse hair hanging down to the dewlap ; the 

 colour of the head, neck, and body is slaty-gray ; sepia or 

 brown on the face, round the mouth and on the legs ; the 

 fetlock joints often, but not always marked with one or 

 two white rings. The tail reaches to the houghs, inserted 

 in a groove at the buttocks as in the Cow, and terminated 

 by a tuft of long black hair ; the hoofs rather broad and 

 pointed, resemble those of a cow ; the under-jaw, a space 

 round the eyes, the throat, belly, and buttocks, are some- 

 times white. The female is smaller, lower at the shoulder, 

 without horns, and much resembling a hind ; the fur of her 

 coat is usually ashy rufous-gray, though sometimes slate- 

 coloured, like the male; under the throat is a tuft of hair, 

 and the mammas are four in number ; upon the feet there 

 is occasionally a third white spot. Gestation lasts nine 

 months, producing commonly only one calf. 



The Neelghau is an animal of very considerable vigour, 

 petulant, sometimes vicious, not remarkable for fleetness ; 

 residing in pairs, or alone, on the borders of the Jungle, 

 and in the woods of Northern India, where it affords a 

 common meal to the Asiatic Lion, and sport to the grandees, 

 who hunt these animals, as formerly, with whole armies, 

 and in the same manner as Bernier relates, that Aureng- 

 sebe conducted this sport between Lahor and Delhi. To the 

 British residents it affords no such interest, because they 

 will not employ the formidable array of elephants, unless to 

 attack the Rhinoceros, the Lion, or the Tiger : and the Neel- 

 ghau appearing not to be accessible, but in the vicinity of 

 the large Carnivora, these always obtain the preference. It 

 is moreover considered an animal, when driven hard, that 

 will turn upon horsemen, and be the first to charge. They are 

 still common in Central India, in the districts of Kamaghur, 

 8fC. where their mangled carcasses are often found, and where 

 on one occasion, several of our friends observed that no less 



