630 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



In at least parts of its range the Pir Panjal Markhor has suffered 

 severely from overshooting. During recent years, however, better 

 protection in some areas has brought an improvement in the animal's 

 status. 



"Size large, the height reaching to 40 or 41 inches at the shoulder. 

 Horns of males with the spiral less open than in the typical race, and 

 showing in fine examples from one to two complete turns. As ob- 

 served by Mr. Blanford, the horns of this race pass into those of the 

 last [falconeri] and the next [megaceros] by every conceivable 

 gradation, probably on the confines of their respective distributional 

 areas." (Lydekker, 1898c, p. 290.) The record length of horn along 

 the outer curve is here given as 59 inches, but Burrard mentions 

 (1925?, p. 176) a later record of 65 inches. 



Lydekker's original statement of range is quoted above. In Gilgit 

 the Astor and the Pir Panjal races "seemingly intergrade, so that no 

 hard-and-fast lines can be drawn between their respective habitats" 

 (Lydekker, 1900, p. 113). Burrard (1925?, pp. 175-176) writes of 

 the distribution: 



This variety is found, as its name indicates, in the Pir Panjal Range, but 

 only where that system lies in Kashmir proper; it also occurs in the Kaj Nag 

 and Shamsberi systems, both of which lie entirely within the vale of Kashmir 

 and are off-shoots of the Pir Panjal Range, and even in some of the nullahs 

 which run down into the lower part of the Kishengunga Valley on the left 

 bank of the river. In addition to .being a feature of the grounds in Kashmir, 

 the Pir Panjal type is the common variety which occurs throughout Baltistan, 

 Gilgit and Chitral, and it is also found in the nullahs of the Astor Valley, 

 but here it is not as common as the Astor variety. Its northern limits appear 

 to be: in the Lutkho Valley at a point halfway between Drusp and Shogot; 

 in the Chitral main valley and valleys joining it on the left bank at Mori 

 (about 10 miles above Chitral). In Chitral proper its southern limits are 

 said to be on the right bank of the Kunar River at Chigar Serai, and on 

 the left bank at Nari (Narsat). 



"The Pir-Panjal markhor is one of the animals in imminent danger 

 of extermination in its typical habitat, unless the new forest laws 

 of the Kashmir Government are sufficiently stringent to enable it to 

 recover its numbers" (Lydekker, 1898c, pp. 291-292) . 



"In the old days markhor-shooting . . . was one of the finest of 

 Kashmir sports, but the numbers of old bucks with fine horns have 

 been grievously reduced in recent years" (Lydekker, 1900, p. 115) . 



"Markhor are still fairly plentiful in Chitral and Chilas, and 

 round the slopes of Mount Nanga Parbat .... Following up the 

 Indus Valley from its junction with the Astor River, Haramoosh 

 is famous for big markhor, and they inhabit most of the nullahs on 

 either bank as far east as Rondu." (Arbuthnot, in Burrard, 1925?, 

 p. 178.) 



