Dr Traill’s Account of the Gour of India , 889 
The character of the head differs little from that of the do- 
mestic bull, excepting that the outline of the face is more cur- 
ved* the os frontis more solid and projecting. The horns are 
short, thick at the base, considerably curved towards the tip, 
slightly compressed on one side, and, in the natural state, are 
rough. They are, however, capable of a good polish, when 
they are of a horn-grey colour, with black solid tips. A pair in 
my possession measures 1 foot 11 inches along their convex 
sides, 1 foot from the centre of the base to the tip, in a 
straight line, and 1 foot in their widest circumference ; but as 
they are cut and polished, a portion of their length and thick- 
ness has been lost. They are of a very dense substance, as their 
weight indicates, for, even in their dressed state, the pair weigh- 
ed 5 lb. 11 oz. avoirdupois. The eye is smaller than in the do- 
mestic ox ; it is of a light blue colour ; and, from the projec- 
tion of the eye-brow, has somewhat of a fierce expression, yet is 
milder than that of the urna. 
The limbs of the gour have more of the form of the deer 
than any other of the bovine genus. This is particularly ob- 
servable in the acuteness of the angle formed by the tibia and 
tarsus, and in the slenderness of the lower part of the legs. 
They give the idea, however, of great strength, combined with 
fleetness ; and the animal was observed to canter with great ve- 
locity. The form, too, of the hoof is 66 longer, neater, and 
stronger than in the ox : and the whole foot appears to have 
greater flexibility. - ” 
The extremity of the tail was bushy ; but its comparative 
length was not noted by my informant. 
The gour was not heard to utter any cry until wounded, 
when it emitted a short bellow, which may be best imitated by 
the syllables Ugh — ugh. 
The natives informed one of the sportsmen, that the gour 
will not live in a state of captivity. Even when taken very 
young, the calf soon droops and dies. The period of gestation 
for the females is twelve months ; and they bring forth usually 
in the month of August. The cow yields a large quantity of 
milk, which the Indians aver to be occasionally so rich, as to 
cause the death of the calf X he bull calf of the first year is, 
y 2 
