138 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



shot an indifferent doe, which, unfortunately for the 

 animal, had passed itself off as far more attractive 

 than it really was. 



Both the victims were the ibex, or tur, of the 

 Eastern Caucasus, Capra CyUndricornis. Capra Pallasi 

 we obtained later in the Kouban district. Their 

 first cousin, the wild goat or Bezoar of Persia, Capra 

 Mgagriis, founder of the family of domestic goats, who 

 completes the trio of ibex peculiar to the Caucasus, we 

 never saw. His habitat, the north side of the eastern 

 end of the great range, was a far cry from us. This 

 fine game animal is the obliging creature whose " Little 

 Mary " provides the calculous concretion known as 

 Bezoar, once so much used in the manufacture of 

 medicines, especiall}^ as an antidote to poison. 



Between the horns of all three it is difficult to choose 

 the finest. It is a case of " How happy could I be with 

 either were t'other dear charmer away." They all rise 

 from the head close together, curve outward and then 

 back, those of the Bezoar being distinguishable by a 

 massive keel irregularly corrugated, whilst the ibex 

 of the East and West Caucasus have cylindrical 

 blackish horns, deeply incised at intervals. The 

 females all carry horns, smoother in contour, darker 

 also, and in body are of lighter build than the rams. 

 The summer coat of all ibex is much redder than the 

 winter pelage of thick brown-grey, and with advancing 

 age the tendency is to grow darker year by year. 



Tragedy waited on the heels of our home-coming. 

 "The Crocodile " had been thrown from his horse, and 

 dragged back senseless to the door of his house. It is 



