THE JHARAL OR JEMLAH GOAT. 543 



egg shells filled with water accompany the hunters, so that they are not forced to give up the 

 chase through thirst. As the chase continues, the Koodoo begins to be worn out with contin- 

 ual running, and lies down to rest, thereby affording a great advantage to its pursuers, who 

 soon come within sight, and force it to rise and continue the hopeless race. At last it sinks 

 wearied to the earth, and falls an unresisting prey to its foes. 



The Eland, Impoofo, or Canna, is the largest of the South African Antelopes, being 

 equal in dimensions to a very large ox. 



A fine specimen of an adult bull Eland will measure nearly six feet in height at the 

 shoulders, and is more than proportionately ponderous in his build, being heavily burdened 

 with fat as well as with flesh. Owing to this great weight of body, the Eland is not so endur- 

 ing as the generality of the Antelopes, andean usually be ridden down without much trouble. 

 Indeed, the chase of this animal is so simple a matter, that the hunters generally contrive to 

 drive it towards their encampment, and will not kill it until it has approached the wagon so 

 closely that the hunters will have but little trouble in conveying its flesh and hide to their 

 wheeled treasure-house. 



The flesh of the Eland is peculiarly excellent ; and as it possesses the valuable quality of 

 being tender immediately after the animal is killed, it is highly appreciated in the interior of 

 South Africa, where usually all the meat is as tough as shoe-leather, and nearly as dry. In 

 some strange manner, the Eland contrives to live for months together without drinking, and 

 even when the herbage is so dry that it crumbles into powder in the hand, the Eland preserves 

 its good condition, and is, moreover, found to contain water in its stomach, if opened. For 

 its abstinence in liquids, the Eland compensates by its ravenous appetite for solid food, and is 

 so large a feeder that the expense of keeping the animal would be almost too great for any one 

 who endeavored to domesticate the animal with any hope of profit. 



The color of the Eland is a pale grayish -brown, and the horns are nearly straight, spirally 

 twisted, and of considerable size. 



A variety of this animal, termed the Striped Eland, is sometimes, but rarely, seen. Some 

 few years ago, when Colonel Faddy was in Southern Africa, he shot several of these animals, 

 and brought their skins home as trophies of success. Neither at the Cape nor in England was 

 he believed when he described the animals which he had been fortunate enough to kill, and it 

 was not until he produced the skins that his account was credited. The skins were presented 

 to the institution attached to the Royal Artillery barracks at Woolwich, and may be seen in 

 the museum. 



GOATS AND SHEEP. 



Closely allied to each other, the Goats and the Sheep can be easily separated by a short 

 examination. In the Coats, which will first come under consideration, the horns are erect, 

 decidedly compressed, curved backwards and outwards, and are supplied with a ridge or heel 

 of horny substance in front. The males generally possess a thickly bearded chin, and are all 

 notable for a powerful and very rank odor, which is not present in the male sheep. 



The Jharal or Jemlah Goat {Hemilragus jemlaicus) is a remarkably handsome animal, 

 inhabiting the loftiest mountains of India, and traversing with ease the precipitous crags which 

 are inaccessible to almost any wingless beings except themselves. Their strongholds, where 

 they pass the night, and to which they fly when alarmed, are situated above the line of vege- 

 tation, and border upon the limits of perpetual snow. By day they descend to feed in little 

 flocks of twenty or thirty in number, each flock being under the guidance of an old male, 

 whose mandates they implicitly obey. They are shy and cautious animals, and the slightest 



