292 CAPRINE. 



hills above the forest region in summer, but in winter descending to the 

 bare spots in the wooded regions. It is much sought after by sportsmen, 

 and the horns considered a great trophy. 



A male Markhor is now living in the Zoological Gardens, at London, 

 and has bred with the common goat. 



Capra cegagrus, Gmelin, considered by some to be the original of the 

 domestic goat, is a native of Persia and other parts of Central and 

 Western Asia. 



The next group is that of the Ibex, which has sometimes been separated 

 generically from the true wild goats, there being several allied species all 

 with the same character of horn, viz., very long, curved backwards and 

 knotted. One species extends from Northern Asia into the Himalayas. 



235. Capra sibirica. 



MEYER. BLYTH, Cat. 543. C. Sdkeen and Ibex Himalayana t 'BLTfm. 

 C. Pallasii, SCHINZ. Skin, Skyin, Sakin or Iskin, of the Himalayas, 

 generally, and Tibet ; the female Dan-mo, in Tibet. Biiz, in the upper 

 Sutlej. Kylj in Kashmir. Tangrol, in Kulu. 



THE 'HIMALAYAN IBEX. 



Descr. The horns similar to those of the Ibex of Europe, but longer, 

 more abruptly curved and tapering, diverging less and with more slender 

 tips. Colour in summer light brownish with a dark line down the back ; 

 in winter dirty yellowish -white, faintly tinged with brown or grayish. 

 The female and young have a tinge of reddish in the brown. The beard 

 is from 6 to 8 inches long, of shaggy black hair. About the size of 

 the Tehr, Hemitragus Jemlaicus. Horns of the male 4 feet long occa- 

 sionally, and 1 1 inches in circumference at the base. Those of the female 

 about 1 foot long. A pair are recorded 4 feet long.* 



The Himalayan Ibex is found throughout the Himalayas from Kashmir 

 to Nepal, at all events. In the west of Kashmir it is rare, and is not found, 

 it is asserted, to the west of the Jhelum river, the Markhor, which has its 

 eastern limit in Kashmir, taking its place. It is found, however, in the 

 Pir Panjal range, and a few in the range of hills north of Baramulla ; and 

 more numerous in the Wurdwan ranges, east of Kashmir ; it is abundant 

 in parts of Kunawur, on some of the ranges on both sides of the Sutlej ; 



* Proc. Zool. Society, 1840, p. 80. 



