Goats 



2-39 



Where bharal occur at all, they are usually met with in abundance, and 

 in undisturbed districts are perhaps the easiest of all Tibetan big game to 

 stalk. General Kinloch states, however, that in places where they have 

 been much hunted they soon become extremely shy and wary, and require 

 great care in stalking, as they are frequently in the habit of stationing 

 sentries in commanding positions while the other members of the flock are 

 grazing. The flesh of all the wild sheep of Central Asia is of excellent 

 quality, and in this respect that of the bharal stands second to none. 



I am informed by a correspondent that, unlike domesticated rams, the 

 male bharal in the London Zoological Gardens, when charging each other, 

 rise on their hind-legs after the manner of goats previous to the impact. 



IV. The Goats — Genus Capra 



Capra^ Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 12, vol. i. p. 94 (1766) ; H. Smith, in 

 Griffith's Animal Kingdom., vol. iv. p. :^oo, v. p. 356 (1827). 



Hirci/s^ Boddaert, E/cnchits Animal, p. 147 (1785) ; Gray, Cat. JJngulata 

 Brit. Mils. p. 153 (1852). 



JEgoceros, Pallas, Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. vol. i. p. 224 (181 i). 



Ibex., Hodgson, "Joi/rn. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. xvi. p. 700 (1847) ; Gray, 

 List Osteol. Brit. Mas. p. 59 (1847). 



Mgoceros, Gray, Cat. Ungiilata Brit. Mas. p. 148 (1852), Cat. Ruminants 

 Brit. Mils. p. 52 (1872), ncc Pallas, 181 1. 



Characters. — Closely allied to Ovis, with vs'hich this genus agrees in 

 almost all essential characters. Size medium and build rather stout. Tail 

 short. No glands either on the face or in the groin, and foot-glands either 

 wanting or confined to the tore-feet. Muzzle hairy ; a more or less distinct 

 beard on the chin ot the males. Female with two teats. Hard callosities 

 present on the knees and sometimes also on the chest. Males with a strong 

 unpleasant odour. Horns present in both sexes ; in the adult males arising 



