190 Sheep 



forming a well-marked white ruff on the throat and che^t, and a darkish 

 line ot somewhat elongated hair extending from the nape to the withers ; 

 the upper-parts showing a more or less rufescent tinge, especially towards 

 the border of the dark area. In females the neck is brown in front in the 

 winter pelage ; while in the summer coat there is typically no blackish 

 stripe extending from the head to the root of the tail, although this is 

 present, at least in the winter coat of the second race. Horns of female 

 generally similar to those of O. ammon. 



Twenty-two stone is given as the approximate weight of an adult ram. 



The two points whereby this magnificent sheep may be most easily 

 distinguished from its fellows are, firstly, the relative slenderness of the 

 horns ot the rams, which in the typical race are longer and extended more 

 outwardly than in any other sheep ; and secondly, the large extent of 

 white on the hind-quarters, which includes the greater part of the outer 

 surface of the thighs. Between the horns of the typical races of the present 

 species and of 0. amnion even the most superficial observer would not fail 

 to easily recognise the difference. Those horns of O. po/i karclini in which 

 the outer front angle is rounded off are, however, much more like those of 

 O. ammon typica in form, although the marked difference in stoutness and 

 depth forms a ready distinction between them. 



In the British Museum this species is represented by a magnificent 

 series of skulls and horns from the Pamirs, and also by a mounted male and 

 female in summer pelage presented by Mr. Littledale. All these belong to 

 the Pamir race ; but the Thian Shan form is likewise represented by several 

 mounted specimens of various ages obtained during the Second Yarkand 

 Expedition under the leadership of the late Sir Douglas Forsyth. These 

 latter are, liowever, all in the winter pelage, and it is thus, unfortunately, 

 at present impossible to compare the two races at the same season, at least 

 so far as the British Museum collection is concerned. 



In the absence of the original specimens, it is difficult to say whether 



