an account of the nyl-ghau, an indian animal, not hitherto described: by william hunter, m. d. f. r....

An Account of the Nyl-Ghau, an Indian Animal, Not Hitherto Described: By William Hunter,M. D. F. R. S.Author(s): William HunterSource: Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775), Vol. 61 (1771), pp. 170-181Published by: The Royal SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/106090 .

Accessed: 26/06/2014 03:06

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

The Royal Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to PhilosophicalTransactions (1683-1775).

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 188.72.127.63 on Thu, 26 Jun 2014 03:06:58 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=rsl

http://www.jstor.org/stable/106090?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


[ t7o]

Receiv'edStove'nlber is, I770.

XXI. Sn AlccovZz of the ]!Jyl-ghvg, o^r Tndian v4nifral, rot hitherto defcribed: By William Hunter, M. D. F. R. S.

tadFeb.28, )t MONG the riches which, of late 77IX > years, have been imported from

India, may be reckoned a fine animal, the Nyl-ghau; which, ie is to be hopedX will now be propagated in this country, fo as to become one of the molt uSeful, or at leaR one of the moIl ornamental beaRs of the field. It is larger than any ruminant of this countryf except the ox; its fleXhvprobably will be found to be delicious; and, if it ffiould prove docile enough to be eafily trained to labour, its great fwiftnefs, with confiderable -Ilrength, might be applied, one would think, to valuable purpofes.

Good paintings of ani0als give much clearer ideas than defcriptionsv Whoever looks at the ptEture which was done under -my eye, by Mr. Stubbs, that excellent painter of animals (fee TAB . V.), can never be at a lofs to know the Syl-ghau, wherever he may happen to meet with it. However, I {hall at tempt a defcription of the-animal; and then give as

much of its hiRory as I have been hitherto able to learn. The account will be imperfedc: yet it will givwe naturalis fome pleafiure in the mean time to

know



I

a

; e

% v



[ I7t ]

know even a little of a large and elegant animal, which has not hitherto been defcribed, or painted.

At fir(t fight, the nlale Nyl-ghall Ilruck tny ima- gination with being of a middle nature, between black cattle and deer; filch an animal as we might fuppofe a mule would be, that was the produce of thoSe two fpecies of bea{ls. I-n fize, it is as much fmaller than the one, as it is larger than the other: and in its fortn there is a very apparent mixture of refemblance to both. Its body, horns, and tail, arenot unlike thofe of abull; and thehead, neck, and legs, are very like thofe of deer.

COLOUR. The colour in general, is alh, or grey} from a mixture of black hairs and white: moR of the hairs am half white, and half btack; the white part is towards the root. The colour of its legs is darker than that of its body r the fame thing may be faid of its head, with this peculiality, that there the darker co]our is rlot general and uniform, but fome parts are almott quite black. In fome parts to be mentioned hereafter, the hair is of a beaueifut white colour.

TRUNK. The height of the :back, where there is a {light eminence over the ffioulder-blades is four feet and one inch; at the highet} parts immedlately behind the loins, it is only four feet. Tlle genera} length of ehe trunk, as feen in a fid view, from tlle root of the neck to the pendulotls tai}, is Dabout four feet; which is nearly th¢ hEight o£ the animal ; ft that, in a fide view, when it Rands with its legs panallel, its back and limbs make nearly three fxdes

Z a Qf



[ t72 ] of a fquare, and the ground upovn which it Ilands makes the fourth.

Round the body, smmediately behind the ffioulder, it neafiures four febt and ten inches; and a little tmore ju{t before tlle hind-let,s; but this lai:t dinlen- fion, ;no doubt, will vary confiderably, as it 11appens

to be more filll or empty of food and drinki.

HAIR The llair on the Ubody zn general is ;thinner, more briilly, and Itronger, tllan on our black cattle. On the belly, and upper part of the linwbs, it is longer and fofter than upon the back and fides.

MANE. All along tl-e ridge or edge of tlle neck and back, as far as the poRerioX part o£ the hump which is over the ihoulder-bladest the hair is blacker, longens and more ered; making a thort) and thin, ups jgnt mane.

Th-e ulubilical and hypogaftric regions of the lzelly, the infide of the thighs, and all tlsofe parts which are covertd by the tail, are white Thepr-

pStiu.m penis is not marked with a tuft of hair; and the Sheath of the penis- projeEts very little.

I:E;STICLES. IXle teRicles are oblong at3d pen- dulous, asinQatullX

TAI L. The bones d stlle tail come down to -within two inches *of -the top of - the os Calres. The t1k sf the;tail w ornanzented with long black h-air, and likewtld with forne vwlliteX efpeclally on the in- fisle. -Qn the inIlde of tlle tail) except near its ex° ttemity, wr:hers Z x30 hair.; and on the right and

lcft



[ t73 ] leR there is a border of long wllite hair, whicl makes it on t}le infide look like a feather.

LEGS The legs are sinall in lzroportion to thFir let)gth; tnore fo than in our black cattle, and ratller lefs fo thaal sn our deer Y4he length c3f the fUre 1eg is a little more than two fict and Searen inches There is one white fipot on the bre part of eaclu foot, almoRimmediately above the arbe l<oofi; and another fmaller white fpot before ths fxnall tlooL above each of the fmall hoofs, there is a renzark- able tuft of long white hair, which turns round in a flat curlX The large hoofW of the fore leg} are of an awkward length. This was very obte vable in every one of the five individuals of this fipecies which I have Seen; yet it was futpeded to be the effift of confinement; aIId the examination of the hoof; in the dead anintal proved tbat it sras fo

NECK. Tlle neck is long and Ilenderf as in deer; and when the head is raited, it has the double turs of the Italic letter S: At the throat; there is a f}lield like fp of beautifill white hair; and lower dovvnS on the beginning of the convexity of tlle neck there is a mane-like tufX of longf black hair.

HEAD The head is long and nender. From the horns, it riCes upwards and bagkwards to jOill the neck. Its lengths from the horns only to the point of the nofie, is about one fiet two inches and three qiiarters.

. .

Noszs I



[ I 74 ] Nosz. The partition between the noRrils was

artificially perforated for fixing a cord, or bridle, ac- cording to the EaIlern ctIllom of tying up or lead- ing horned cattlee TlIe- noRrils are very long, in a direEtion almaR parallel to the mouth, and are widell at their anterior end

MOUTII. The riSv3 oris is long; and as far as this reaches, the lower jaw is white: fo is the upper lip, as far as the noltril.

TEETH. There are fix grinders in each fide of each jaw, and four inciSor teeth in each half of the lower javv. The firi} of the lncifors is very broad; and the reR fmaller in gradation, as they are placed more outwards or backwards.

EYES. The eyes In general are dark coloured; for al1 of tbe conjunAiva that can be commonly feen xs of that complexion. In an oblique or rxde view9

the sornev, and all that is feen through it, is blue, ]ilQe burnifhed flceel. The pupil is oval, or oblongS from fide to fide; and the rzs is almoft black.

Esrs. The ears are }arge and beautiful, above feven inches - in length, and fpread to a conf1derable breadth near their end. They are white on their edge, and on their infide; except where two black. bands mark the hollow of the ear with a zebrawlike varicty

HORN&. >£ horns are feven inches long; th¢y are fix inches rounl at their root, and growing

fmaller



r I75 ] ftnaller by degrees, they terminate in a blunt pointX At their root they have three flattentd fdes, divided by rO many angles: one of the angles is turned for- wards, and contequently one of the fides backzrards. This triangular nlape ss gradually leSs perceptible towards the extremity. At the root there are night circular wrillkles, in proportion to the age of the animal. The body and point of the horn is fmooth, and the whole of a very dark colour. They rife upwards, forewards and outwards at a very obtuSe angle, with the forehead or face. They are gently bendedS and the concavity is turned inwards, and a little forewards. The diRance between them at the roots is three inches and a quarter, at the points flx inches and a quarter, and at their moR hollow middle parts leEs than fix inches.

FOOD. It eats oats, but not greedily; is fbnder of graSs and hay*; but is always delighted with wheat bread. When thirRy, it would drink two gallons of water.

DUNG. Its dung is in the form of fmall round balls, of the fize of a nut-meg; and it paSes a quantity of theSe togetller, with a ruhing *ound.

MANNERS. Though it was reported eo have been exceedingly vicious, it was in reality a nsoll gentle creature while in my cuidy, Seemed pleated with every kind of familiarityt always licked the

k General Carnac informs me, that no hay is made in India; their horfes are fed witn graps freh cut, and a grasn of the pulfe kind, called Gram.

.. .

lanG



[ 176 ] Tand which either llroaked, or gave it bread, and nesrer once ateempted ta uX its harns offenfively. It leemed to have much dependanee on it's organs of fmell, and fntlfEd keenly, and with noife, whenever any perfon came vvithin fight. 1t did b like_ wire when any faod or drink was brought to it; and was fio eafily oinded with a fmell, or Ib cautious, that it vfould not talle the bread which I offered w}en tny hand had touched oil of turzntine or vs . . w.

lplrlts t.

Its manncr of fighting is very particular: it was obEerved at Lord Clive's, where two nlales were put into a litele inclofure; and it was related to me by his Lordhip, thus. While they were ae a confiderable diRance fiom each other, they prepared for the attack, by filling down upon their fore-knees; then they ihuflltd towards each other with a quick pace, keeping [till upon their forbkne-es, and when they were come within brne yardss they made a fpng, and darted againll each otherX

All the time that ewo of them were in my flrable, I obServed this particularity,- vw that whenever any attempt was made upon them, they immediately #11 down upon thQr fUre-knees; and fometimes they

* General Carnac, in fiome obfierv-ations whtch hc firroured me with upon tkis fuhjeX *ayss '& All of the deer kind have si the fenfie of fimelWing very exquifite. I bave frequendy olo- ¢' Erved of tame deers to whom brei is aRen g;ren, and " which they are in general fond of; thae if you preint them ss a piece tbat has been bitten, they will not touch it. I bave " made she lime obSirvation d a falarkable fine he-goats ss whi accompanied me m4ft of my campaigns in India; and " filpplied me with millt, and brhichX 1n gratigude for her fcr- * vicesJ I bsllght hm abroad with me*"

uld



[ 177 ] Xould do fo when I came before them; buts as ther never darted I fo little thought: this poRure meant holtility, that I rather fuppoScd it exprefl:lve of a timid or obSequious humility .

FEMALE. The eaZaAe differs fo much from.the Male, that we (11QUId Scarcely fuppofie tbem to be the fame fpecies. She is much fmallers both in heighe and t}ickneSs. In herX'hap-e, and in her yeilowiSh colour, {he very much refiembles deer; and has no horns. She has four nopples, and is fuppoSect tQ ga nisle months with young. She commonly has one at a birth, and fometimes twins.

The young male Nyl-ghau is like the female in colour, and therefone like a Fawn.

SPECIES. When a new animal is prefented to us, it will often be difficultX and fometimes impof- fible, to determine its fpecies, by the extern:alcha- radrers alone BlJt when fiuch an animal is diSeered by aa: anatomiR, who is a maRer in comparative

* The intrepidity and force with svhich they dart again& any objeEt may be conceived from the following anecdote, of the finett and largeR of thofie animals that has ever been fiecn in Xingland. - The v;olence which he did to himfelf, was fuppoSet to occafian his death, which happened foon afier. A poor la.* bouring man, without knowing that the animal was near him, and therefore neither meaning to offend, nor fufpeding thc danger came up near to the olltfide of the pales of the illW clofure; the Nyl-ghau, with -the quicknefs of lightening, darted againR the wood work, wleh ich riolence, that he brolce it to pieces; and broke of one of his horns clofe to the root. From this piece of hiPcory and farther inquiry, I was fatisfied that the animal is vicious and fierce in the rutting feafon, how cver gentle and tame at other times.

VOL. LXI. A a Snatomya



[ I78 ]

anatomy, the qlleflcion is conlmonly to be decided * l

Wlt. l CertalNty. Frotlx the external marks alone, I fufipeAed, or

rather believed, the .Nyl-ghau to be a peculiar and diRind;t fpecies, Sotne of my acquaintance thought it a deer. The permanent horns convinced me that it; was.not. .Others thought it an antelope. The horns, and the Iize of the animal, made xse fuipedc that it was not. It had fo much of the fhape of deer, efpecially the female, that I could not fuppofe it to be of the fame fipecies with our black cattle. In rutting time, one of the males was put into a paddock with a fetnale of the red-deer: but nothing like attraEtion or attention was obServed between them. At length, in confiequence of the death of one of theln, I was affiured bg llly brother,

rho diSedled it, and who has diXeded with grea£ attention almoll every known quadrupede, that the Nyl-ghaua is a new fpecies *.

HISTORY. Of late years feveral of this fpecies, both male and female, have been brought to Eng- land. The firit were fent from Bombay,, by Gov. Crornelen, as a prefent to Lord Clive: they arrived in ugu{t 1767, They were male and female, and <:ontinue to breed every year. Afterwards tsrro were brought over, and preSented to the QMeen by Mr. Sullivan. From her MajeRy's defire to encourage every ufeful or curious enquiry in natllral knowledges

* Nlrr Pennant, whofe lo ze of natural hitEory heightens the env ,}oyment af an independent fortune, in his Sy?topJ"s, publiShed *fince ehis paper vnas 97ritten, clalles this atlimal (R'hite-0eoted, pv 29.) as a fpecies of the Antelee-; but he now thinks it beknJx to another GSa and will claSs it aPcordingly in bis

= . = . .

fl<xt tultlc?n I w;s



[ T79 ]

I was permitted to keep thefe two for fome time; which enabled me to deiribe them, and to get a cor- reEt piEture rnade; and, Witll n y brotller's aElhnce to diSeEt the dead animal, and preferare the Ikin and fkeleton. Lord Clive has been fo kind to gi-ve me every help that he could furIliffi me with, in making out their hiilory; fo has General Carnac, and fonle other gentlemen.

At all the places in India, vnhere we have fettle_ ments, iey are rarities, brought from the diRant in- terior parts of the country, as prefents to Nabobs and great men. Lord Clive, General Carnac, Mr. Wallh, Mr. Watts, and many other gentlemen, wlio have -feen much -of Irldia, tell me they nearer faw them wild. So far as I have yet found, Bernier is the only author who has even mentioned them *. In the 4th Vol. of his Memoires, he gives an account of a journey which he undertook, ann. 1664, from Delhi, to the province of Cachemire, with the Mo_ gul Aurengzeb, who went to that terreItrial paradiSe, as it ls elleemed by the Indians, to avoid the heat of the fummer. In giving an account of ehe hllnt_ ing, which was the Emperor's amuSement in this journey, he defcribes, among others, that of le Nyl- ghau; but without faying morc of the animal, than

* Since the reading- of tkis paper, I have receiered the fol_ lowing infotmation from Dr. Maty. In the fourth Volume of Valentyn's defcription of tbe EaA Indiess publilhed in Low t)utch, 1727, under the article of Batavia, p. 23I, I find amongR the uncommon animals kept at the caRle, this Ihort indication, " There was a bea*, of the fize and colour of " Daniih ox, but lefs heavy, pointed towards the moutb, ath- " grey, and not lefs thari an Elk, whofe name- he bore." It was a prefent from the Mogul.

A a 2 that



[ I80 ]

that the Emperor fometimes kills them in fuch numbers, as to diRribute quarters of - them to all his Omrachs; which ibews that they were there wilds and in plenty, and elleemed good or deliclous fxd.

This agrees with the rarity of theSe animals at Bengal, MadraSs, and Bombay: for Cachemire is the moR northern provise of the Empim; and it was on the -march from Delhi to that place, that Berlller ftw theEmperor hunt them. 0

NAME. The word Nyl-ghau, for thefe are the component letters correEponding to the Perf1an, though pronounced as if it were written Neel-gaw, fignifies & blue cowy or rashwer a bun) GaW being Inaficuline;

and the male animal of that name has a good iitle to the appellation, as well from the likenefs he bears in fome parb to that Ipecies of cattle; as from the bluilB tinA which is very difcernible ln the colour of his body; but this is by no means the cafe with the female, which has a near reSemblance, as well in colour as in brm, eo ollr red deer 'rhe Nyl-ghaus which hasre been brought to England have been moIl, if not all, of them received from Surat or -]3ombay; and they feem to be lers uncommon in that part of India, than in Bengal; which gives room for a conjeEture thae they may be indi- genous perhaps in the province of Guzarat, one of the moA WeRern and moi} confiderabXe of the Hinduan empire, lying to the Northward cxf Surat, and Rretching away to the Indian ocean.

A gentleman * who has been long in India, and has an extenfire acquaintance there, has written to

* Generaltarnac, who likewife favoured me with the pre- eedAng articl: upon the name of th; animal.

: hts



[ t8I 3

his friends, to colledc all the intelligence they can poflibly procure conGerning this animal; and in the cour:fe of the next year5 fome fatisfadcory information may perhaps be rectived from thence, though the natives of that countryy he fays; have no turn vvhatearer after natural hiRory; and in- deed are very little inquifltive after any kind of knowledge.

NII 00^



an account of the nyl-ghau, an indian animal, not hitherto described: by william hunter, m. d. f. r....

Documents