MAMMALOGY OF THE HIMALAYAS. Ixxv 
the under surface to be called a beard, still Aristotle’s description does not apply, for this rough hair 
covers the whole throat in the Saumer from the head to the chest, whilst the Greek philosopher 
restricts the beard of the Hippelaphus to the larynz, and this is precisely the situation in which the long 
bunch of coarse hair, nearly a foot in length, is found on the throat of the Neel-ghau. In fact there is 
not a single point, even to the most minute particular, the habitat of Arachosia, for instance, the modern 
Punjab, where the Neel-ghau is extremely abundant, and where the Saumer does not exist, at least we 
have no evidence of the fact,—in which Aristotle’s description of the Hippelaphus does not perfectly 
agree with this now well-known animal; and we may therefore safely conclude that we have at length 
finally settled a question which has long puzzled both critics and Zoologists. The Neel-ghaw should 
consequently assume in future the specific appellation of Antilope Hippelaphus, whilst the Saumer Deer, 
to which that name has been erroneously applied, may be more appropriately called Cervus Sawmer. 
Two distinct species of the genus Capra occur in the Himalayas: Capra jemblaica of Hamilton Smith, 
called Jharal in Nepal, and Thar in the British provinces, is by far the more common of the two, and 
is stated by Mr. Hodgson* to differ from other goats by having four teats. The second species has never 
been described, but its existence is placed beyond a doubt ; Major Kennedy, while resident at Simla, had 
two stuffed specimens, procured in the neighbouring mountains, and the animal is mentioned by various 
tourists under the name of the Ibex, which it appears to resemble in the form of the horns and other 
characters. Dr. Falconer, in the Report of his late Journey to Cashmere and Little Thibet, mentions the 
discovery of two new species of goats ; but as he does not enter into any detail on the subject, we have 
no means of ascertaining how far they may prove to be identical with, or different from, the two species 
here mentioned. Different varieties of the domestic goat, the most valuable of which are the Changra, or 
shawl goats, of two breeds, distinguished as the larger and the smaller Changra, are found in the more 
alpine regions ; their wool forms an article of extensive traffic, but we are much in want of detailed com- 
parative descriptions and good figures of these, as of all the different breeds of cattle and other domestic 
animals in India; a subject of great interest, which has been extensively illustrated at home, but which 
has met with little or no attention out of Europe. 
Of sheep there are likewise two wild species, and numerous domestic varieties, found in these moun- 
tains. The Burrhal, called Nahoor by the Nepalese (Ovis Nahoor of Mr. Hodgson), is intermediate in 
character between the Mouflon (O. Musmon) of Corsica, the supposed parent of our domestic sheep, and 
the Aoudad (0. tragelaphus) of Northern Africa, which latter species it resembles in the form of the 
horns and the absence of the crumens, or tear-pits, which distinguish the rest of the genus. The second 
species, called Banbhera in Nepal, is less known, but appears to approach very nearly to the Argali of 
Siberia (0. Ammon), if, indeed, it be not identical with that animal. I have seen the skull and horns in 
the Museum of the Royal Asiatic Society, to which it was presented by Sir Alexander Burnes ; but as 
there is no specimen of the Argali in this country with which to compare it, I can offer no opinion as to 
its specific difference. The animal seems to be more properly a native of Thibet and Chinese Tartary, 
and seldom appears on the southern part of the Himalayas; at least none of my sporting acquaintances 
ever met with it, and Mr. Hodgson was long doubtful of its existence. Of the domestic sheep of the 
Hills, besides the Dimba, or common variety of Upper India, Mr. Hodgson mentions a breed called 
Barwal as occurring in the Kachar, and another called Hoaniah, peculiar to Thibet : these are used as 
beasts of burden for carrying grain and other products across the mountains, but we know little of their . 
peculiar forms or qualities. 
Of the genus Bos, the buffalo (B. Bubalus), and its representative, the Arnee, or Urnee Bhinse, are 2 ee 
confined to the sultry forests at the foot of the mountains. The latter is a very distinct variety, ‘if not _ 
- different © 
* Journ. Asiat. Soc., iv. 710. 
