248 Goats 



on the front pasterns, and the simihirity between the colour of the long 

 narrow beard and the back are characters amply sufficient to distinguish 

 this species from all its kindred. 



This splendid goat was originally described by Pallas from specimens 

 collected by Giildenstadt, near the head-waters ot the rivers Terek and 

 Kuban, which rise in the Central Caucasus on the north side of the chain 

 between Elbruz and Dych-tau. The figured specimens comprise a female 

 (plate xviiA.) and the head of an adult male (plate xviiB. fig. i). In 

 the male head the beard is long and narrow ; and the horns, which appear 

 to curve in a single plane, are boldly knotted on the front surface of their 

 terminal half As thev are not those of a verv old animal, thev are 

 separated by a considerable interval at their tips. 



In the Proceedings ot the Zoological Society for 1886 Mr. Sclater 

 believed Capra cylindriconiis to be inseparable from this species, and de- 

 scribed it from specimens of the former. But in 1887 Herr Dinnik 

 described and figured characteristic horns from the Western Caucasus, 

 while others were figured bv Dr. Biichner in the same year. None of 

 these specimens belong, however, to very old animals, so that the interval 

 between the tips of the horns is relatively large. 



In the latter part of 1887 Dr. M. Menzbier communicated a paper to 

 the Zoological Society in which he restricted Capra caiicasica to the 

 Central Caucasus (the typical locality), and referred all the specimens from 

 the Western Caucasus (including those described by Messrs. Dinnik and 

 Biichner) to a new species, under the name Capra severtzoici. Unfortu- 

 nately no figures accompanied this communication. It is stated, however, 

 that the goat regarded as the true C. caucasica has horns somewhat inter- 

 mediate between those of C. cy/indricornis and the goat of the Western 

 Caucasus ; and that these horns always have the tips approximated, the 

 distance between them being only about 20 inches. The horns are further 

 stated to show eight or nine small ribs on the basal half of the front surface. 



