. The popular natural history . Zoology. 1/6 THE NYLGHAU. months together without drinking, and even when the herbage is so dry that it crumbles into powder in the hand, the Eland preserves its good condition, and is, moreover, found to contain water in its stomach if opened. For its abstinence from liquids the Eland compensates by its ravenous appetite for solid food, and is so large a feeder that the expense of keeping the animal would be almost too great for any one who endeavoured to domesticate the animal in England with any hope of profit. Passing from Africa to Asia, we find a curious a
. The popular natural history . Zoology. 1/6 THE NYLGHAU. months together without drinking, and even when the herbage is so dry that it crumbles into powder in the hand, the Eland preserves its good condition, and is, moreover, found to contain water in its stomach if opened. For its abstinence from liquids the Eland compensates by its ravenous appetite for solid food, and is so large a feeder that the expense of keeping the animal would be almost too great for any one who endeavoured to domesticate the animal in England with any hope of profit. Passing from Africa to Asia, we find a curious and handsome Antelope, partaking of many of the characteristics which are found in the Koodoo and Bosch-bok. This is the Nylghau, an inhabitant of the thickly-wooded districts of India. This magnificent Antelope is rather more than four feet high at the shoulders, and its general colour is a slate-blue. The face is marked with brown or sepia; the long neck is furnished with a bold dark mane, and a long tuft of course hair hangs from the throat. The female is smaller than her mate, and hornless. Her coat is generally a reddish grey, instead of partaking of the slate-blue tint which colours the form of the male. The hind legs of this animal are rather shorter than the fore legs. Its name. Nylghau, is ,of Persian origin, and signifies " Blue ; It does not seem to be of a social disposition, and is generally found in pairs in- habiting the borders of the jungle. There are, however, many examples of solitary males. It is a shy and wary animal, and the hunter who desires to shoot one of these animals is obliged to exert his bush-craft to the utmost in order to attain his purpose. To secure a Nylghau requires a good marksman as well as a good stalker, for the animal is very tenacious of life, and if not struck in the proper spot will carry off a heavy bullet without seeming to be much the worse at the time. The native chiefs are fond of hunting the Nylghau, and employ in t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
