1 70 Sheep 



Although less active climbers than bharal and tahr, Punjab urial 

 display a great amount of agility in getting over the rough ground which 

 forms their haunts ; and in this respect are decidedly ahead of the larger 

 sheep of Central Asia. When alone, their call is a kind of bleat not 

 unlike that ot domesticated sheep, but when alarmed they utter a shrill 

 whistle, at the same time stamping with their fore-feet. The period of 

 gestation is probably about six months, the pairing season occurring in 

 September in the Punjab, but apparently considerably later in Astor, where 

 the young are born in June. There may be either one or two lambs at a 

 birth ; and the species will cross readily with domesticated sheep, while it 

 has been known to breed with tlie Tibetan argali. 



General A. A. Kinlocli writes as follows of this sheep in the Punjab : 

 "The urial is found among low stony hills and ravines, which are 

 generally more or less covered with thin jungle consisting principally of 

 thorny bushes. During the heat of the day the urial conceal themselves 

 a eood deal, retirintr to the most secluded places, but often comintr down 

 to feed in the evenings on tlie crops surrounding the villages. Where not 

 much disturbed they will stav all day in the neighbourhood ot their 

 feeding-grounds, and allow sheep and cattle to feed amongst them without 

 concern, but where they have been much fired at they usually go long 

 distances before settling themselves for the day. They are generally found 

 on capital ground for stalking, tlie chief drawback being the stony nature 

 of the hill^, which renders it difficult to walk silently. When hred at, 

 urial usually go leisurely away, stopping to gaze every now and then, so 

 that several shots may be fired at one herd. . . . Urial appear to be 

 partly migratory, as they are now plentiful where they were not so 

 common formerly, and places that were once famous for them are now 

 nearly deserted. This is doubtless in great measure caused by the way in 

 which they are hunted and shot at, wherever they are known to be 

 plentiful." 



