528 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



The Bornean Banteng (Bibos sondaicus lowi 1 (Lydekker)) is 

 confined to that island. It is reported as still common in Dutch 

 Borneo by several Government foresters (in litt., 1937). It also 

 occurs, though not abundantly, in the northern parts of Borneo 

 (Shelford, 1916, p. 46; Mjoberg, 1930, p. 19). 



Wild Yak 



POEPHAGUS GRUNNIENS MUTUS Przewalski 



Poephagus mutus Przewalski, Third Journey in Central Asia (in Russian), 

 p. 191, pi. facing p. 190, 1883. (Alpine region of the western part of the 

 Nan Shan (approximately lat. 39 20' N., long. 95 E.) between the 

 Anembar-Ula on the west and the Humboldt Range on the east; cf. 

 Harper, 1940, pp. 325-326.) 



FIGS.: Prejevalsky, 1876, vol. 2, p. 188, fig.; Przewalski, 1883, pi. facing p. 190; 

 Prschewalski, 1884, pi. facing p. 108; Lydekker, 1898c, pi. 4, and 1900, 

 pi. 2, figs. 4, 4a; Hedin, 1899, vol. 2, pp. 1015, 1018, 1021, figs., and 1904, 

 p. 211, fig.; Leche, 1904, p. 12, fig. 8, p. 14, fig. 9, pi. 3; Hedin, Southern 

 Tibet, vol. 4, pi. following p. 72, 1922; Stockley, 1928, pi. facing p. 126; 

 Schafer, 1938, p. 73, fig. 45; Engelmann, 1938, fig. 112. 



The Wild Yak is suffering severely from intensive hunting with 

 modern rifles in a region where game laws are unknown, and its 

 range as well as its numbers have become considerably reduced. 



"The body is covered with thick black hair, which in the old 

 males assumes a chestnut colour on the back and upper parts of 

 the sides, and a deep fringe of black hair hangs down from the 

 flanks. The muzzle is partly grey, and the younger males have 

 marks of the same colour on the upper part of the body, whilst a 

 narrow silvery grey stripe runs down the centre of the back." A 

 full-grown bull measures 11 feet in length, exclusive of the bushy 

 tail, which is 3 feet long; height at the hump, 6 feet. The female 

 is much smaller, with shorter and lighter horns; height at the hump, 

 4 feet 9 inches. (Prejevalsky, 1876, vol. 2, pp. 187-189.) The record 

 length of horns is 38J inches (Ward, 1935, p. 314). 



"Wild yak range from the eastern part of Ladak, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Chang-Chenmo (where they now appear to be ex- 

 terminated) as far east as Kan-su and northwards to the Kuen-lun, 

 at elevations between 14,000 and 20,000 feet." Specimens are re- 

 corded from Ladak; Tibet; Tibet north of Sikhim; and Kuen-lun 

 (94 E., 35 N.). (Lydekker, 1913c, vol. 1, pp. 33-34.) 



Prejevalsky (1876, vol. 2, pp. 189-200) gives the following 

 account : 



In these inhospitable wastes [of northern Tibet], in the midst of a desolate 

 nature, yet far removed from pitiless man, the famous long-haired ox roams 



i Bos sondaicus lowi Lydekker, Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1912, p. 906, 1912. 

 ("Rejang Valley," Sarawak, Borneo.) 



