454 



THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 



and rounded or arched on the outer side. In me- 

 dium sized animals they often measure upward of 

 sixteen inches and more than double this size in old 

 individuals. Beginning from the base they sweep 

 backward in a bold, direct curve, and in old males 

 describe almost a semicircle. They are set close 

 together at their bases, gradually diverge for more 

 than half their length, and for the remainder of their 

 length to their extremities curve boldly forward and 

 inward. The knots or transverse rings on the horns, 

 between which are numerous smaller ridges, number 



defined black-brown stripe runs along the course of 

 the backbone to the black tail. 



Range and The ^gagrus is a native of an exten- 

 Habitsofthe sive portion of western and central 



/Bgagrus. Asia. It is found on the southern 

 slope of the Caucasus, and in the Taurus and other 

 mountains of Asia Minor and Persia, and from thence 

 far south through Afghanistan and Beluchistan. It 

 is also found on the islands of the Mediteranean, es- 

 pecially among those of the Grecian Archipelago, 

 and perhaps even on the higher parts of the Greek 



THE MARKHOOR. 1 



lioor, or Markhor. popularly, but 



ofdarkei hue. and ha strange, triangular, spiral horns which are some! a 



ral times in tin: gardens >>( the Zoologii al v ty. 1 ondon i ' 



larger 



much as hv 



feet long in the large males. 



:.if the Mark- 



a long beard 



Markhoors have 



from ten to twelve in old individuals. TCgnigus 

 Goats of both sexes have coarse beards; the remain- 

 der of the hairy covering consists of a rather long, 

 smooth, wiry outer fur, and a short, woolly inner 

 coat of a medium degree of softness. The coloring 

 is a bright reddish-gray, or a rusty hue of brownish- 

 yellow, assuming a lighter tint upon the sides of 

 the neck and the flanks. The breast and throat 

 are blackish-brown, the abdomen and the inner and 

 rear surfaces of the thighs are white. A sharply 



peninsula. Investigation has demonstrated, almost 

 to a certainty, that the /Egagrus is the same animal 

 mentioned by Homer in his description of the Cy- 

 clopean Island: 



"A w.mded isle, wherein do roam wild Goats unnumbered; 

 For [.nth of Man. or presence there, affrights them not." 



The actions and habits of the bgagrus strikingly 

 resemble those of the Ibex. With heedless fleetness 

 it runs along the most perilous paths or stands for 

 hours, entirely free from vertigo, looking down into 



