(jOO JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol, XXVIII. 
fighting but evidently they were not in earnest. Here and there the rest of the 
flock were feeding. Suddenly the “ nanny ” on guard whistled, at once the two 
stopped playing and with them all turned upwards. Amongst them probably were 
the two which met on the narrow ledge. There was no time to delay and what was 
evidently a grand beast was fired at. It was a nasty one-quarter-on shot and he 
staggered as the bullet struck him, and moved on, until the left barrel brought 
him to a recumbent position almost behind a big stone. When he was 
reached he could not get up. 
What a difficult shot it is when the quarry is feeding under a cliff and the 
gunner is trying to get into position by looking over from above ! 
Under these ciicumstances, it affords one very little comfort for the 
shikari to say he will hold on to one and stop a fall, somehow the rifle 
will not get into position and feels as if it must be dropped. Now and again 
this predicament is sure to come. For days three good bucks had been 
watched. On one occasion the mist came up, on another they fairly won 
the game by moving steadily away, they had not got the wind nor were they 
frightened, but went on and on over very difficult ground. At last it was 
settled to go to a cave high up in the hills, so food and bedding with a change 
of clothes were taken, and as luck turned out 4 or 5 men including the old gun 
bearer and local shikari. 
The cave floor was spread with creeping juniper boughs, and a small bundle 
of pitch pine splinters was taken in order to light the fire. After a long 
search the bucks were found under a cliff which stood erect bordering a small 
ravdne. They were not more than 100 feet below and it was from the top 
of this cliff that the attempt was made. The bullet struck the ground 
some distance beyond the Ibex. They rushed up the ravine and turned to 
the left gi\dng fairly easy shots. Two ‘500 bore rifles had been taken out 
and four barrels were in all fired. 
Fairly big bore rifles do not lend themselves to much fusilading, and there 
were consequently many wounded animals. 
One Ibex fell, a second was not fired at, and the third could not be seen for 
some seconds, then he was spotted slowly labouring upwards, very hard hit 
and on his last legs. He stopped and stood broadside on, and would have given 
an easy shot for a high velocity small bore, but was out of range for the ‘ 500. 
Watching through the telescope, the buck was seen to double his legs under 
him, slowly sink on his stomach and fall on his side. On reaching him the mark 
of the bullet showed in the middle of the ribs. 
The summer was advancing, and unsettled weather was coming from below. 
The local shikari fussed and wanted to cut off the Ibex head and bolt downwards, 
but the lust for meat caused the other men to skin and cut up the 
carcases. Before this operation was over, snow began to fall and a hurried 
return was made to the cave, where luckily a few half burnt sticks remained 
from the morning’s fire. Everything was thrown into the cave, and everyone 
collected juniper boughs until the snow was thick on the ground. For two 
days snow fell heavily, then the sun shone, and the soft snow began to slide 
down the slopes making a move impossible until the fourth day. 
Dry chupatties and a little revolting Ibex meat is poor food even when wash- 
ed down with brandy and smoky water ! 
One head was a very fine one and taped over 48 inches in length ; a typical 
Wardwan head of the best. The other horns were not diminutive but were too 
small to bother much about and as there was much to be carried they 
were left in the cave with the intention of sending for them later on. This 
however never came off. Twice has a cave been useful and practically 
afforded preservation. When there is no leakage from melting snow, it 
is all right being dry, although a bit dreary, but when there is no dry place 
except on a bundle of juniper boughs it is trying. 
