The Arna, or Indian BuiTalo 



of the other are of the straight type, to which Hodgson 

 applied the name macroceros. The occurrence of these 

 two types of horns both in Assam and the Malay Peninsula 

 seems to indicate the advisability of regarding them as 

 dimorphic phases rather than geographical races. As 

 it is, nevertheless, a matter of convenience to have 

 distinctive names tor two such diverse types, there 

 appears, as already mentioned, no good reason for 

 ceasing to use the term Bos bubalis macroce7-os as the 

 designation of the straight-horned type. Any authentic 

 information that sportsmen can furnish with regard to 

 wild buffaloes in Burma and the Malay States will 

 be of value and interest. 



MARCO POLO'S SHEEP 



(Ovis poll) 



Native Names.- — Kuchkar (male). Mesh (female), 

 Wakhan ; Ku/ja or Gulja (male), Arkar (female), 

 TuRKi OF Eastern Turkestan 



(Plate iii, figs, i, \d) 



Although exceeded in massiveness by those of the 

 argali, the horns of Marco Polo's sheep are longer than 

 those of any other species of the genus Ovis^ and thus 

 form perhaps the most magnificent trophies yielded by 

 the wild sheep. Since every sportsman knows the 

 distinctive features of sheep, it will be unnecessary to 

 consider them in detail. Apart from their horns, 

 sheep differ markedly from the oxen in the form anci 

 structure of the muzzle, which is narrow and pointed, 

 with the skin covered with fine velvety hairs, except 

 for a small naked area immediately above the nostrils, 

 and a narrow groove or cleft extending downwards 

 from the same to divide the upper lip. In place of 

 the two pairs found in the ox-tribe, the ewes possess 



89 



