Species of Bovine Animals. 



6479 



remarkably deer-like ; the ears too seem proportionally large, and the 

 legs are conspicuously longer than in a gayal-calf of the same age. 

 In other respects there is considerable resemblance between the two 

 species at this early period of life, and notably in the colouring ; but 

 the voice is strikingly different. That of the gayal, which we have 

 often heard, is a prolonged, strange, somewhat shrill metallic cry, as 

 if blown through a horn. Our young gaour's voice, which we suspect 

 is pretty much that of the adult, is an equally prolonged, full, sonorous, 

 and not unplaintive hoo f of considerable volume and most peculiar in 

 tone, not to be forgotten when once heard, and which carries one at 

 once in imagination to the jungles ; in general likewise this is more 

 or less modulated, and not unfrequently it has almost a human 

 expression of languor and ennui. " The voice of the gauri," remarks 

 Mr. Hodgson, " is very peculiar and quite unlike that of the ox, buffalo 

 or bison ; but as I am not skilled in bestial languages, I shall not 

 attempt to syllable this utterance." 



There is doubtless a difference in the voices of the two sexes, at 

 least when adult ; just as White of Selborne remarks of those of Euro- 

 pean cattle. " Oxen," he observes, " have large bent horns, and hoarse 

 [deep] voices when they low, like cows, for bulls have short, straight 

 horns ; and though they mutter and grumble in a deep tremendous 

 tone, yet they low in a shrill high key." How different this from the 

 gruff cough or grunt of the humped bull ! One remarkable particular 

 connected with our juvenile gaour is the extreme fragrance of his 

 breath, which is noticeable sometimes at several yards distance ; it is 

 that of European cattle intensified, and still sweeter ; and we have 

 never remarked this peculiar fragrance in the breath of the humped 

 cattle. That of the gaour is really an exquisite perfume. It may be 

 that we have not chanced to notice the same in the gayal. 



Of this species in the sub-Himalayan region, Mr. Hodgson remarks: 

 — " The Gauri Gau never quits the deepest recesses of the sal-forest, 

 avoiding wholly the proximate tarai on one side, and the hills on the 

 other. It is gregarious in herds of from ten to thirty, the females 

 much preponderating over the males in the herds, though even in a 

 small herd there are usually two or three grown males, whose conjoint 

 office it is to guide and guard the party. This office is discharged 

 with uncommon alertness, proving the animal to possess great per- 

 fection in all the senses, and with indomitable courage too, if need be; 

 so that neither tiger, rhinoceros nor elephant dare molest the herd.* 



* We have read of a big gaour-bull being killed by a tiger, but taken no doubt at 

 a disadvantage. 



