THE INDIAN ANTELOPE. 
123 
They are then about thirteen inches in length, closely 
approximated at the base, and separated at the points 
by an interval of a foot. At a still more advanced 
period they may attain sixteen, twenty, or even twenty- 
four inches in length ; but the number of complete 
convolutions seldom reaches four. 
The female differs from the male in the entire absence 
of horns. Her general colour is of a lighter fawn, and 
never assumes the dusky tinge of the adult male. On 
the fore part of the neck she is of a light ashy gray ; 
and a grayish line passes along each side of her back 
from the shoulders to the rump. In other respects 
there is little external difference between the sexes. 
The young male is scarcely to be distinguished in colour 
from the female ; but he becomes gradually darker, and 
the light stripes along the back gradually vanish, as he 
advances to maturity. 
These animals appear to be common in the north of 
India. They associate together in small herds, which 
probably consist only of a single family, and are under 
the guidance of an old male. They are extremely shy 
and timid ; and are not easily to be run down, on ac- 
count of their surpassing velocity and the great length 
of their bounds, by means of which they distance the 
fleetest dogs. They are sometimes, however, surprised 
by Chetahs or Hunting Leopards trained for the pur- 
pose ; and are also occasionally flown at by Hawks, 
which keep them occupied until the dogs have time to 
come up with them and seize them. Another mode of 
catching the males, according to Thevenot, is by twist- 
ing a rope in various intricate turns round the horns of 
a tame one and turning him out among the herd. The 
head of the family immediately resents this invasion of 
his privileges and a battle ensues, which, being carried 
on with the horns alone, speedily terminates in entan- 
