CAPRA. 



145 



Capra falconeri. 



Aegoceros (Capra) falconeri, Wagner Munch. Gel. Ans., ix, p. 430 (1839). 

 Capra megaceros, Hutton Calc. Journ. N. H., ii, p. 535, pi. xx (1842) ; id. 



J. A.S. B., XV, p. 161 ; Blytk Cat., p. 176; Jerdon Mamm., p. 291 ; 



Kinloch Large Game Shooting, i, p. 37 [with plate]. 

 Capra falconeri, Wagner HugeVs Kaschmir, iv, p. 579, with plate (1848) ; 



Blanford J. A. S. B., xliv, fp. 17 ; Sctilly P. Z. S., 1881, p. 209; 



P. L. Sclater P. Z. S., 1886, p. 317. 

 Capra megaceros, Cunningharn Ladak, p. 200, pi. vii (1854). 

 Hircus megaceros, Adams P. Z. S., p. 525 (1858). 

 Capra jerdoni, Hume P. A. S. B., 1874, p. 240 ; Kinloch Large Game 



Shooting, ii, p. 15 [with plate]. 



The Markhor ; Markhor (Snake-eater) of the Afghans ; Rap- 

 hochhe S Ramochhe $ of Ladak. 



Distribution. — The Pir Pinjal range to the south of Kashmir 

 extending northwards to Gilgit (Scully), eastwards to the Beas 

 River (Adams), and southward through the Suleiman Range as 

 far as Mittun Kote fAdams). 



There are certainly two varieties of Markhor, whether they can 

 be considered as two different species or not still remains undecided ; 

 the scantiness of the Museum collections of these animals prevents 

 my forming an opinion on the subject, I have, therefore, followed 

 Blanford, who is of opinion that the two forms run into one 

 another and cannot be therefore separated as two species. 



In the Kashmir variety, which is found in the Pir Pinjal and also 

 in the Gilgit district, the horns are spirally twisted about an imagi- 

 nary axis, the spiral being very open in some cases as in the one 

 figured in " Hugel's Kaschmir." 



In the Suleiman variety the horns are perfectly straight, but a 

 spiral ridge runs round the horn which gives the horn a very differ- 

 ent appearance ; both varieties are very well figured by Colonel 

 Kinloch in his book on the Large Game of the Himalayas. 



Should the Suleiman variety prove to be sufficiently distinct to 

 be considered a separate species, it would be called Capra mega- 

 ceros of Hutton. 



