Markhor 287 



the two keels form the worm ; in females the horns short, compressed, and 

 spiral. General colour in winter gray, in summer rich reddish-brown, but 

 in old males whitish throughout ; the long hairs of the winter pelage white 

 at the base, with brown tips ; the under-parts lighter than the back, in 

 some cases whitish ; a dark stripe on the front of the legs from the knees 

 and hocks to the fetlocks ; beard of males black in front, light gray behind ; 

 tail dark brown ; and in young animals the general colour uniformly grayish- 

 brown, with a dark stripe down the middle of the back, and, it is said, the 

 beard wholly black. Horns deep black. 



The markhor (literally snake-eater) is entitled to rank as one of the 

 handsomest, if not actually the handsomest, of all the wild goats. The 

 horns indicate four more or less distinct types, the extreme modifications of 

 which differ much more widely from one another than do the horns of 

 many species ; but since all the four types more or less completely inter- 

 grade, it is evident they must be ranked as geographical races, and can have 

 no claim to specific rank. There is also an extinct form from the Siwalik 

 Hills, which likewise seems best regarded as a race, although specimens less 

 imperfect than those known might show specific characters. 



The form of the horns and the nature of the beard are amply sufficient 

 to prove that the markhor has no close affinity with any of the other Asiatic 

 wild goats. Its occurrence in the Pliocene deposits of the Siwaliks indi- 

 cates that it is evidently an ancient type. And although its beard is 

 different, the shape and contour of the horns, together with their black 

 colour, so different from that of the true ibex, are strongly suggestive that 

 its closest affinities are with the Spanish tur. 



Its connection with the parentage of the wild goat has been already 

 referred to under the heading of Capra hircus. With regard to its alleged 

 snake-killing propensities, it may be mentioned that, while there is no 

 definite information available as to their truth or otherwise, precisely the 

 same attribute is assigned to the common goat in Scotland. 



