A visit to the Niglai of Hobbledown this morning, Hobbledown being what the home farm attached to one of the Epsom cluster of hospitals has become. Looked like deer without antlers to me, but the trusty Burton says antelope. Also that they stand 2 feet high at the shoulder, rather less than most of those here. Also that Hindus think they are enough like cows for eating to be forbidden.
While Wikipedia goes for 4 feet at the shoulder, says that the name means blue cow and that their backs slope down from the shoulder to the rump, which does not seem to be the case here. Does not go in for the 'ny' spelling favoured by Burton.
At all events, a popular choice for 'N' in the alphabet game played for mammals.
Plenty of people on Horton Country Park at around 10:30. A large herd of runners, just finished. Lots of dog walkers. Lots of people just out for a stroll. And the market has caught up, as we also had a coffee van which seemed to be doing a stready trade.
Mystery to me, not ever having been much into coffee, outside of restaurants after a meal.
Small birds almost absent. Large birds not plentiful, but some parakeets, crows, magpies and pigeons. Just the one blackbird.
References
Reference 1: https://www.hobbledown.com/.
Reference 2: Systematic dictionary of the mammals of the world - Maurice Burton - 1962.
Reference 3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgai.
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