274 ^ ATTTILOPIlf^. 



227. Tetraceros quadricornis. 



Antilope apud Blainville. — Blyth, Cat. 513. — Figured F. Coviek, 

 Mamm. 3, 99. — A. chichara, Hardwicke, Linn. Trans. XIV. pi. 15. — T. 

 striaticomis, Leach. — T. iodes, Hodgson, Calc, J. N. H. VIII. 88, with 

 fig. — T. paccerois, Hodgson. — A. suh-quadricomutus^ Elliot, Cat. 56, 

 variety ? — Chouka and Chousingha, H. — Behra, Mahr. — Bhirki, at San- 

 ger. — Bhirkura (the male) and Bhir (the female), of Northern Gonds.— 

 BJiirul, of Bheels. — Kotri, in Bustar. — Kurus, of Bustar Gonds. — Kond- 

 guri, Can. — Konda-gori^ Tel. — Vulgo, Jangli bakra, H., in the Deccan. 



The Four-horned Antelope. 



Descr. — Color an uniform brownish bay above, beneath lighter, and 

 whitish inside the limbs and in the middle of the belly ; forelegs dark, 

 also the muzzle and edge of the ears, which are white within, with long 

 hairs ; fetlocks dark within, with more or less distinct whitish rings. 



Length from 40 to 42 inches ; tail 5 ; ear 4^ ; height at shoulder 2 

 feet to 26 inches ; at the croup a little higher. Anterior horns np to 1^ 

 inches ; posterior horns 4 to 5. 



The color varies a good deal acccording to locality. Some are much 

 browner than others ; many are light fawn with a darker shade on the back 

 and hind quarters, and some are very pale yellowish fawn. The anterior 

 boms vary much in development. Those in the South of India generally 

 have rarely more than a knob or corneous tip, which often falls oflf, leaving 

 a black callous skin. Maijiy from the North of India have the anterior 

 horns well developed, thick, conic and straight, not exceeding li inches 

 in lepgth. The posterior horns are nearly straight, or curve very slightly 

 forwards at the tip, and have three or four wrinkles at their base. 



Hodgson separated A. chickara from quadricornis, and named two addi- 

 tional species, but these now are all looked on as identical. 



I was at one time strongly inclined to consider Mr. Elliot's species 

 distinct from the northern animal, as all those which I procured from the 

 Eastern Ghats had only a vestige of an anterior horn, and were very pale 

 colored, but in deference to Mr. Blyth's matured opinion I have followed 

 him in uniting them. The four-homed antelope is found throughout 

 all India, to which it is exclusively limited, not being known in Ceylon nor 

 the countries to the east of the Bay of Bengal. It frequents jungly hills 

 and open forests in the plains, not occurring in the dense woods of Malabar, 



