Cashmeree shikaris know it as ‘Heran.’ The Ladak name is ‘Chiru,’ or ‘Choos’

This rather curious antelope is pretty plentiful in the Changchmeno Valley, the only easily accessible place for European sportsmen where it is found. A few are said to have been shot in the neighbourhood of the Mansarovárá Lake, near the North-Western frontier of Nepal, and they are also to be met with all over the lofty plateau which has to be crossed on the way to Yarkand. It appears, however, never to have been found in the district beyond the Niti Pass as far as Europeans have been able to penetrate, nor did Colonel Kinloch apparently meet with it when he crossed the frontier in the direction of Gártope.

Measurements

AuthorityHeight at shoulderTotal lengthWeight as shotLength of hornGirth at baseSexRemarks
Capra Jemlaica
ins.ins.lbs.ins.ins.
Mr. A. O. Hume......14⅛8⅞..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Major Ward....20014....‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
Mr. Gwynne Griffiths......13⅞9..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
The Writer, 1884......13⅞....
Hume Collection, British Museum......13¾9..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. A. O. Hume......13¾8⅜..”
Hume Collection, British Museum......13⅝8..”
British Museum......13½8⅞..”
Mr. Rowland Ward......13½8½..”
”....about 200......”
Hon. W. Rothschild......13⅜9⅛..”
Mr. A. O. Hume......13¼9½..”
Sir V. Brooke......13¼8⅞..”
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.......13¼8¼..”
Mr. J. Carr Saunders......13⅛8⅞..”
Capt. H. Brooke......13....
Major Greenaway4152..12½....
”36½..........
Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia’36 to 40about 54..12 to 14....
Col. Kinloch......about 1510 to 11..‘Large Game Shooting’
Average good head......129..
Hemitragus hylocrius
Gen. McMaster......179¾..Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia’
Mr. A. O. Hume......16¾8⅞..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. St. George Littledale......16½....”
Gen. McMaster......16....Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia’
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.......15½8⅝..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. M. Kennard......15¾8¾..”
Mr. St. George Littledale, 1875......15¾8¼..”
Mr. M. Kennard......15⅛8⅝..”
Mr. St. George Littledale, 1871......15⅛8⅝..”
Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia’41 to 42..........
Average of good head......128..
Nemorhædus Goral
Major Ward28..588½....‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
”28..638....”
Hume Collection, British Museum......7⅝3¾..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Major Ward28..597½....‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
”26....7½....”
Capt. J. A. Orr Ewing......73¾..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. J. M. Nicolls......73½..”
Col. Kinlochabout 26....up to 8....‘Large Game Shooting’
Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia’28 to 30about 48..6 to 9....
Major Greenaway26½........Female
Average good head......6....
Nemorhædus bubalinus
Major Ward37..19012..Male‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
Hon. C. Ellis......10½5⅜..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Capt. H. Brooke......105½Male
Major Ward38..19010..”‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
”33..12010..Female”
Sir V. Brooke......9⅞5⅝..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. R. Lydekker, British Museum......9¾5⅛..”
Major Greenaway......9½..Male
”......7⅛..Female
Major FitzHerbert4271..9¼5½Male
The Writer40....85Female
Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia’about 3660 to 66about 2009 to 14....
Arakanese Capricorn
British Museum, sex unknown, not full grown (the horns are of the ordinary serow type)......8¼5½..

AuthorityHeight at shoulderTotal lengthWeight as shotLength of hornGirth at baseSpan at tipsRemarks
Budorcas taxicolor
ins.ins.lbs.ins.ins.ins.
British Museum......22⅜10⅝14¾Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Hume Collection, British Museum......20⅞11⅜11⅞”
Mr A. O. Hume......20¾11⅞12½”
Hume Collection, British Museum......20¾9⅝13⅜”
Mr. B. H. Hodgson, British Museum......20½10⅞12⅜”
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.......19⅜1115”
British Museum......1810¼8”
”......16⅛8¾10¾”
Mr. B. H. Hodgson, British Museum......15¼9⅜5¾”
Lieut.-Col. Graham......14⅜8¾8⅞”

The bucks vary a good deal in colour; some of them are a beautiful golden red, some a light fawn, and others a dirty yellowish white. The colour of the hair seems always to fade after the skin is removed. As a rule the skins are useless in the summer as the antelope are changing their coats; the legs and face are dark brown, and the muzzle, instead of being neat and deer-like, is broad and puffy. The horns are peculiar, having a considerable bend forward at the tips, as if they were pliable, and the buck was standing with his back to a gale of wind.

They have two greatly developed inguinal glands, the tubes of which run right up into the body, and the Tartars are said to believe that the antelope inflate these with air at will, to enable them to gallop faster. A curious point about this antelope is that though he can gallop, and very fast, he generally seems to prefer moving at a sharp trot.