Identifier: wildbeaststheirw00bake (find matches)
Title: Wild beasts and their ways : reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Baker, Samuel White, Sir, 1821-1893
Subjects: Baker, Samuel White, Sir, 1821-1893 Animal behavior Hunting
Publisher: London New York : Macmillan
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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s, and are difficult to approach.I do not pretend to give a description of every variety of antelope ;there are several in Northern India and Thibet, also the four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis). This is a curious littleanimal with four short spike horns; the two anterior are seldommore than 2 inches in length, and the posterior, which are im-mediately behind, do not exceed 4 inches. The four-hornedantelope is not gregarious, but is found either singly or in pairs,generally in high grass, where they lie close until disturbed by theelephant, which almost treads upon them before they can be inducedto move. They dash off at full speed, and from the howdah they aredifficult to hit with a rifle. A Paradox gun with one barrel loadedwith ball, while the other contains a charge of buck-shot, is anexcellent weapon where small deer are objects of the days sport. The antelope par excellence of India is the well-known black-buck (Antilope cervicapra). This is without exception the most
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8C XX THE ANTELOPE 331 graceful and sporting animal of the tribe. In some portions ofIndia it is exceedingly numerous, while in other parts it is soextremely rare that it cannot be classed among the fauna of thedistrict. This- animal is gregarious, and is generally seen in herds oftwenty or thirty individuals. It inhabits vast plains and infeststhe crops of the natives, especially when the young wheat is about9 inches high. I have seen exceptional herds, comprising severalhundred individuals, but it is seldom that they are met with insuch great numbers united, although many hundreds may be scat-tered in small groups over the area of a few square miles. There is nothing more lovely than a fine black-buck abouteight years old, when the coat looks as black as pitch, contrastedwith the snow-white markings of the belly, face, and throat. Thefemales are a rich yellowish brown, with white thighs and bellies;these never change their colour, and they are devoid of horns.The males require three

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