Marco Polo's Sheep 195 



down, sometimes on the same spot, or oftener they go up some bare hill, 

 where they scratch the ground and make a sort of big ' form.' I did not 

 notice that they are at all fond of lying on the snow. I nearly always 

 found them in very dry places or on the stony slopes. It is not easy to 

 see them when they are moving about, and when standing they look, very 

 light coloured except on the back. 



" When lying down arkars nearly always keep the head erect, as if 

 on the lookout, and when sleeping they lie with the neck outstretched. 

 I saw big males with heavy heads resting their horns on the ground. 

 In this case the under-parts of the neck and jaw do not touch the earth 

 by several inches. The animal cannot touch the ground except with 

 its mouth, on account of the shape of the horns. 



" They seem to be affected by height. I more than once saw them, 

 when going at lull speed uphill, open their mouths as if in want of breath. 

 When going uphill they never run very fast, and stop from time to time. 

 When going leisurely they do not mind heights over 17,000 feet. I saw 

 some coming down for food on the sky-line at certainly more than 18,000 

 feet. When disturbed they go up slowly but steadily to great elevations. 

 As a rule, they dislike snow and are very cautious when in deep new 

 snow. I once saw four repeatedly try a glacier covered with new snow 

 not more than 400 yards from me. It was wonderful the way in which 

 they avoided the bad places. The one in front went very slowly, trying 

 the ground, and every now and then went shoulder-deep into the snow. 

 He then drew back and tried other places without success, and then saw me. 



" After keeping very quiet all day, about three or four o'clock they go 

 again to feed. Once I saw three males fighting on the way to the 

 grazing- ground. They were butting each other exactly as sheep do, 

 and sometimes ran alongside each other striking sideways against the 

 ribs and flanks. The points of the horns being at right angles with the 

 line of the neck, they must hurt each other in this way much more than 



