As regards the generic name of the Nilgai, we have fortunately only two to choose from—_Boselaphus_ of De Blainville, published in 1816, and _Portax_ of Hamilton Smith, proposed in 1827. Of these two, according to the rules of Zoological Nomenclature, we employ the oldest; and the scientific name of the Nilgai consequently becomes _Boselaphus tragocamelus_, as was first adopted by Sclater in 1883. Before proceeding further we must call attention to the excellent account of the Nilgai read before the Royal Society in 1774 by the great physiologist and physician William Hunter and published, along with an excellent figure of the animal by Stubbs, in the 61st volume of the ‘Philosophical Transactions,’ from which we make the following extracts:— “Among the riches which of late years have been imported from India may be reckoned a fine animal, the Nyl-ghau; which, it is to be hoped, will now be propagated in this country, so as to become one of the most useful, or at least one of the most ornamental beasts of the field. It is larger than any ruminant of this country, except the ox; its flesh probably will be found to be delicious; and, if it should prove docile enough to be easily trained to labour, its great swiftness, with considerable strength, might be applied, one would think, to valuable purposes. “Good paintings of animals give much clearer ideas than descriptions. Whoever looks at the picture, which was done under my eye by Mr. Stubbs, that excellent painter of animals, can never be at a loss to know the Nyl-ghau, wherever he may happen to meet with it. However, I shall attempt a description of the animal; and then give as much of its history as I have been hitherto able to learn. The account will be imperfect: yet it will give naturalists some pleasure in the meantime to know even a little of a large and elegant animal, which has not hitherto been described or painted.” After a capital description of both sexes of this animal from the living specimens, Hunter proceeds as follows:— “Of late years several of this species, both male and female, have been brought to England. The first were sent from Bombay by Gov. Cromelen, as a present to Lord Clive: they arrived in August 1767. They were male and female, and continued to breed every year. Afterwards two were brought over, and presented to the Queen by Mr. Sullivan. From Her Majesty’s desire to encourage every useful or curious enquiry in natural knowledge, I was permitted to keep these two for some time, which enabled me to describe them, and to get a correct picture made, and, with my brother’s assistance, to dissect the dead animal, and preserve the skin and skeleton. Lord Clive has been so kind to give me every help that he could furnish me with in making out their history; so has General Carnac, and some other gentlemen.