x. p. 449 (1841), xvi. p. 706 (1847) ; .Elliot, Madras Journ. vol. x. p. 227,
pis. v. and vi. (1839) ; Horsfield, Cat. E . Ind. Mas. p. 18 1 (1851).
Bos gaur, Sundevall, K . Svenska Vet. Ak. Hand! for 1844, p. 152
(1846).
Bibos gaurus, Gray', Cat. Hodgson Coll. p. 24 (1846), Cat. Engulata Brit.
Fl°- j— Bull Gaur, After Forsyth, Highlands i f Central India.
Miss. p. 32 (1852), Cat. Ruminants Brit. Mus. p. 13 (1872) ; Riitimeyer,
Denkschr. schweiz. Ges. vol. xxii. art. 3, p. 17 0 :^ 18 6 $ , Abh. schweiz. pal.
Ges. vol. v. p. 189 (1878) ; Davison, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1889, p. 447.
Bibos asseel, Horsfield, Cat. E . Ind. Mus. p. 181 (18 51).
Gavausgaurus, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. xxix. p. 282 (i860) ;
Jerdon, Mamm. Ind. p. 301 (1867) ; Sterndale, Mamm. Ind. p 481
(1884).
Plate I.
Characters.—Build massive (the body being deep and the limbs relatively
short) and size large, the height in old bulls occasionally reaching
as much .as six feet four inches (nineteen hands) at the shoulder. Ears
large. The ridge on the back strongly developed, and ending in a sudden
descent about midway between the shoulders and the tail. Skull with
a high ridge on the vertex, S rm in g a hold arch between the bases of
the horns, and beneath it the profile of the forehead deeply concave.
Horns markedly flattened at the base, strongly curved throughout their
length, with the tips inclining inward|g|and somewhat backwards ; their
colour pale greenish or yellowish, with black tips. Tail just reaching
the hocks. L Generally littleHbr. no distinct dewlap. Hair short, and
becoming very sparse on the back in old bulls ; general colour of the
upper-parts in old bulls dark olive-brown tending to become almost black ;
linder-parts paler, but golden-brown at the insertion of the limbs ; upper
perttltn of forehead to the nape o f the neck ashy-gray, passing in some cases
into whitey-brown or dirty white ; legs from above the knees and hocks
downwards pure white ; muzzle pale-coloured. In cows and young bulls
the general coloration rather less dark, and in Some cases, especially during
winter and in individuals inhabiting comparatively dry and open districts,
tending to rufous ; calves are stated to have a dark streak down the
back.
Although a bull from the Malay Peninsula was exhibited in the
London Zoological Gardens in 1889, I have never seen a living gaur,
and my descriptions are consequently derived from museum specimens
and the writings of others. The British Museum possesses a fine mounted
male and female from India, but additional specimens are necessary before
several disputed points in connection with this magnificent species can be
decided. With regard to size, Mr. Blanford, in 18.91, wrote as follows:—
E