Game Animals of India, etc. 



their being regarded in the light of full-blown species. 

 Natives for the most part fail to distinguish by name 

 between such local modifications ; so that the native 

 titles quoted above refer to the markhor generally. 



From all other wild goats the markhor differs so 

 decidedly that by no possibility can it be mistaken for 

 any of its relatives ; the spiral twist formed by the 

 magnificent horns of the old bucks being unlike those 

 of all other species of the genus Capra^ the nearest 

 approach being made by those of the Spanish ibex 

 {Capra pyrenaica). 



Inclusive of its local varieties, the markhor may 

 be described as a heavily -built goat, standing from 

 about 35 to 41 inches in height at the withers, with 

 the hair of the body long and silky in the winter coat, 

 and under-fur, or pashm, wanting. At all times of the 

 year the old bucks are furnished with a flowing beard 

 of long hair, extending downwards from the middle 

 of the chin to the throat and chest, whence it spreads 

 upwards to the base of the ears and the nape of the 

 neck. In young bucks, on the other hand, there is 

 none of this excessive hirsute development, the beard 

 being confined to the chin, as in other goats. It is 

 a peculiarity of the species that the does are provided 

 with a beard like that of young bucks. In males the 

 horns, which attain an enormous length and weight, 

 and arise close together, are much compressed laterally, 

 and twisted into a spiral, of which the front keel or 

 ridge ^ has at first an outward direction ; the form of 

 the spiral presenting a gradation from that of an open 

 corkscrew to that of an ordinary screw, of which the 

 keels in front and behind form the threads. In young 

 animals the front and back keels of the horns are 

 sharp and distinct throughout their length, but with 

 advancing age the keel on the front of the base 



1 In all these wild goats this ridge begins at the back of the horn and 

 sweeps forwards, whereas in all tame goats, except the Circassian breed, 

 the ridge begins in iront and sweeps backwards. 



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