SPORT IN WESTERN CHINA 145 



of the Chino-Thibetan borderland constitute the eastern 

 limit of the Central Asian fauna. 



Personally I have hunted none of the larger animals, but I 

 have been associated in the field with those who have. I have 

 at different times seen in a living or dead state nearly all the 

 animals described below, and in many ways have enjoyed 

 exceptional opportimities for acquiring information. The 

 following pages, compiled mainly from notes collected during 

 my travels in this region, make no pretence of being exhaustive, 

 but they may perhaps add something to the present scant 

 store of knowledge. 



BLUE SHEEP (BHARAL) 



Bharal or Pan-(often pronounced Pai)-yang {Ovis nahura), 

 as they are locally called, are common throughout the Chino- 

 Thibetan borderland on the higher ranges above the timber- 

 line. During the summer-time they frequent the alpine regions 

 between 13,000 and 17,000 feet elevation. At Tachienlu 

 (alt. 8400 feet) they have been shot in June on the cliffs that 

 overlook the town itself. Around Sungpan Ting they are 

 common, and in the uplands everywhere between the above 

 points they are to be found roaming about in flocks, often 

 of considerable size. In the winter they descend to 8000 or 

 10,000 feet altitude. When fired upon, the " Pan-yang " has a 

 characteristic habit of rimning a short distance, then halting 

 and looking round at the enemy. 



The adult animal stands about a yard tall at the withers and 

 has a long, narrow head, short ears, no mane or beard, and a 

 thick, close coat of hair. The general colour of the upper-parts 

 is brownish-grey tinged with slaty-blue, darker in summer than 

 in winter ; under-parts white ; lower part of tail black. In 

 adult rams the face and chest are black, with a black band along 

 the flanks, white knee-patches, and a black stripe down the front 

 of all four legs. The horns are blackish- olive with an S-like 

 curvature, rounded and nearly smooth save for the annual 

 rings of growth. The horns of the ewes are short, drawn 

 together at the base, curving upwards and outwards in a 

 somewhat scimitar-like fashion. 

 VOL. n. — 10 



