156 Zoological Society. 



the tips, which incline more abruptly somewhat forward and inward, 

 are much more attenuated, or drawn out. The splendid pair ex- 

 hibited, which were in their twelfth year of growth, and all but fully 

 developed, measured 4 J feet over the curvature, and 10 J inches round 

 at base ; diverging to 23 inches asunder, measuring outside, at nearly 

 three-fourths of their length from the base, and the tips returning 

 to 16 inches apart, at a distance of 20 inches from the base inside. 

 They are 4 inches deep at base, 2^ inches broad anteriorly, and 2 

 inches at a foot distance from the base, bearing 26 prominences, and 

 numbering, as before remarked, 12 years of growth, which success- 

 ively give 16, 7, 5, 4, 5, 4, 3|, 2^, 2, 1^, and the last (incomplete) 

 \, inches. The extreme length of skull is 12 inches, or 18 j inches 

 over the curves, from tip of intermaxillary to occipital foramen ; 

 breadth across of orbits posteriorly 7 inches, and total length of bony 

 palate 6^ inches. The dimensions of the largest pair of horns of 

 the Swiss Ibex examined by Mr. Blyth, and which were of the same 

 age as the preceding, are given as follows. Length 3|^ feet over the 

 arch, having a span of 2 feet from base to tip inside ; the points 2J 

 feet asunder, and basal circumference 10^ inches ; number of promi- 

 nences above 20, several being comprised within the first 8 inches. 

 They diverge quite regularly, and somewhat spirally, more outward 

 to the tip. 



" The Himalayan Ibex," continues Mr. Blyth, " is the Skyn or Sheen ^ 

 Sakeen or Sikeen (as variously written) of different parts of its range, 

 and is numerous, according to Mr. Vigne, in Little Thibet, where it is 

 designated Skyn. In Kashmir it bears the name of Kyi. Mr. Moor- 

 croft informs us that in Ladakh the male is termed Skyn, and the 

 female /' Danma * : he describes it to inhabit the most inaccessible 

 crags of the mountains ; and other authors notice its habits as en- 

 tirely resembling those of its Alpine congener f. In Kashmir, as I 

 am informed by Mr. Vigne, its poshm (or under-fleece of delicate 

 silky wool), which in all the true massive-horned Ibices is amazingly 

 copious in winter, is highly prized, ' that of one large Ibex being equal 

 to the produce of three Shawl Goats, besides being softer and finer. 

 I have some beautiful cloth,' continues that gentleman, * made from 

 the poshm of the Ibex. The animal is of a sepia-brown colour.' 

 It may be further noticed, that in the ' Journal-of the Asiatic Society 

 of Bengal,' vol. v. p. 242, it is stated that Major Kennedy had a 

 pair of these animals, stuffed, at Suhatu, in Kunawar. A skull and 

 horns which I saw at Mr. Leadbeater's was received from Nepal, 

 where, however, the species does not yet appear to have been noticed 

 by Mr. Hodgson. Dr. Falconer has probably named it. 



" Himalaya Ibew. Capra Ibici Helvetico simillima, sed comibus 

 magis prolongatis, semper minus divergentibus, apicibus attenuati- 

 oribus et ad antrorsum abruptiori-curvatis, — sic ut in plurimis spe- 

 ciebus hujus generis, at vix in Caprd Ibice vera." 



* Travels, i. .'311. 



t Vide • Journal of a Trip tlirougli Kunawar,' published in the 'Journal 

 of the Asiatic Society of Bengal' for 1839, p. 928. 



