1 64 CHINESE TURKESTAN 



extends lower down the horn than in Ovis poli, and 

 the horns turn closer in to the head. The highest 

 ground is only about top pine level, say 9,000 feet 

 at most, while we once or twice saw ewes much 

 lower down. I suppose they must be near relations 

 of the Jom and Sukafou ones, and probably exist at 

 intervals in the foot-hills all along the range ; I am 

 somewhat inclined to believe that further east 

 along the range these comparatively low ground 

 sheep approach nearer and nearer to the ammon 

 type, until the Altai Hills and the true O. ammon 

 are reached ; but they are so scarce and hard to find 

 that this theory would be apt to take a long time to 

 work out. 



We had four different camps about here, and 

 scoured the country far and wide, but could find 

 nothing ; our shikaris certainly knew the country 

 well, but were completely beaten. One reason, no 

 doubt, for this was that a lot of new Kazaks had 

 immigrated, and the whole place was fouled by 

 their herds ; also there were wolves about, which 

 did not mend matters. Goodness knows where the 

 sheep had been driven to ; there can never have 

 been many at the best of times, and we were 

 much handicapped in our movements by want of 

 grass, owing to the severe winter and backward 

 season. There were a few ibex about, but we saw 

 no big ones. The weather was particularly vile ; it 

 blew hard the whole time, with occasional rain, and 



