West Caucasian Tur 25 i 



immature specimens in the Britisli Museum from the Central Caucasus, 

 in which the beard is short and wide, are inseparable, so tar as their horns 

 are concerned, from the adult males. I have compared the horns ot the 

 larger of these immature males, which, as already said, are knotted in 

 front throughout their length, with the tips of those of the adult specimen 

 shown in hg. 47, and have found that the two correspond in every respect. 

 This indicates that the short horns, knotted in front throughout their 

 length, belong to young animals ; while long horns with such knotting 

 restricted to the terminal third or half characterise the adult. In respect 

 to the beard, specimens in early winter pelage belonging to Prince 

 DemidofFhave this appendage consisting of a broad and short basal fringe 

 extending the whole width of the chin, in the centre of which is a long 

 narrow tuft like that of the adult male in the British Museum. And it 

 accordingly seems that whereas in immature animals the winter beard 

 consists merely of the broad short fringe (fig. 48), in older individuals at 

 the same season the long central tuft is superadded. On the other hand, 

 adult individuals in the summer entirely lose the basal fringe and retain 

 only the long central tuft. 



All the alleged points of difference between the so-called C. severtzowi 

 and C. caucasica being now shown to be inconstant, the evidence tor the 

 specific separation of the latter must be regarded as valueless. In this view 

 I am confirmed by Dr. Biichner, who has written to me that, in his opinion, 

 there are but two species of Caucasian tur, namely, C cylindricornis trom the 

 eastern, and C caucasica from the western half ot the range. 



Mr. St. George Littledale has, however, in his possession a skull with 

 horns of a very remarkable type obtained by himself from the neighbourhood 

 of Elbruz, which at first sight might seem to suggest a third form. 

 Although belonging to an adult male, the horns are considerably shorter 

 than those of the typical C. caucasica ; and in their curvature and the 

 direction of their tips, as well as in the total absence ot knots trom the 



