of the mountain
presents a mixture of open lawns and woods. There were once twenty-five
villages on Myn Pat, but they have long been deserted, on account of the
number and ferocity of the beasts of prey. On this mountain, however,
the Gaur maintains his seat. The Indians assert that even the Tiger has
no chance in combat with the full-grown Gaur, though he may
occasionally succeed in carrying off an unprotected calf. The wild
Buffalo abounds in the plains below the mountains; but he so much dreads
the Gaur, according to the natives, that he rarely attempts to invade
his haunts. The forests which shield the Gaur abound, however, in
Hog-deer, Saumurs, and Porcupines.

The size of the Gaur is its most striking peculiarity. The following
measurement of one not fully grown will show the enormous bulk of the
animal:--

Ft. In.
Height from the hoof to the withers 5 11-3/4
Length from nose to end of tail 11 11-3/4

The form of the Gaur is not so lengthened as that of the Arna. Its back
is strongly arched, so as to form a pretty uniform curve from the nose
to the origin of the tail, when the animal stands still. This appearance
is partly owing to the curved form of the nose and forehead, and still
more to a remarkable ridge, of no great thickness, which rises six or
seven inches above the general line of the back, from the last of the
cervical to beyond the middle of the dorsal vertebrae, from which it
gradually is lost in the outline of the back. This peculiarity proceeds
from an unusual elongation of the spinous processes of the dorsal
column. It is very conspicuous in the Gaurs of all ages, although loaded
with fat; and has no resemblance to the hunch which is found on some of
the domestic cattle of India. It bears some resemblance, certainly, to
the ridge _described_ as existing in the Gayal; but the Gaur is said to
be distinguished from that animal by the remarkable peculiarity of a
_total want of a dewlap._ Neither the male nor female Gaur, at any age,
has the slightest trace of this appendage, which is found on every
other known animal of this genus.

The colour of the Gaur is a very deep brownish black, almost approaching
to blueish black, except a tuft of curling dirty white hair between the
horns, and rings of the same colour just above the hoof. The hair over
the skin is extremely short and sleek, and has somewhat of the _oily_
appearance of a fresh seal-