Urmian Muflon 139 



continental race, with a more regular curve from base to tip, and liner 

 transverse wrinkles. 



In general colour this sheep is a bright foxy red or rulous lawn on the 

 upper-parts, with a few scattered whitish hairs on the sides ot the body 

 faintly shadowing out a light saddle-patch. This foxy hue is relieved by 

 a dark line along the middle of the fore part of the back, a blackish band 

 along each flank, which is continued on to the thigh, as well as by mark- 

 ings of the same dark tint on the lower part of the throat and chest, the 

 front of the fore-legs above the knees, and a patch on the inside of each 

 hind-leg just above the hock. On the other hand, the under-parts, a 

 narrow streak on the buttocks, the inner surfaces of the thighs and of the 

 fore-legs above the knees, as well as the entire circumference of the legs 

 below the knees and hocks, together with the muzzle, chin, and throat, 

 are pure white. The description is completed by adding that the upper 

 part of the nose and a patch in front of the eyes are dusky brown, while 

 the ears are grey outside and white inside. 



THE URMIAN MUFLON 



(Oiv'j oriental'! s urmiana) 



A small island in a lake in North-Western Persia seems an unlikely 

 habitat for a distinct form of wild sheep, and yet a skull picked up on 

 Koyun Daghi, the largest of the numerous islands in Lake Urmi, is 

 regarded by Dr. A. Glinther' as representing a race of the Cyprian muflon, 

 under the name of Ovis ophion, var. urmiana. Dr. GUnther, it may be well 

 to add, looks upon the Cyprian muflon as specifically distinct from the 

 Armenian ; but states that if, as here, the two are ranked merely as local 



1 Journ. Limtiean Soc. — Zool. vol. xxvii. p. 374. (1899). 



