THE MARKHOR. 



223 



goat tribe. There are several known localities in the northern 

 Himalayas and in the mountains on the north-west frontier 

 where it is met with, besides the comparatively unknown ones 

 more northward, and in each of those known it differs slightly, 

 principally in the shape of the horns. The horns of the 

 variety found on the Pir Punchal and Kajnag ranges, west 

 of the Cashmere valley, have three or four spiral curls in the 

 shape of a cork-screw, and sometimes grow to an extra- 

 ordinary length. I measured one that was 63 inches follow- 



Asior and Northern 

 Cashtnere ranges. 



Pir Punchal and 

 Kajnag ranges. 



Suliemani range. 

 Types of Markhor Horns, 



ing the twist, and considerably over a yard straight. But 

 this was an exceptionally fine specimen, and only a single 

 horn, which was purchased at a village. The markhor found 

 on the more northern mountains of the Cashmere territory 

 are in colour and size much the same as those of the Pir 

 Punchal, but their horns have fewer turns, although they grow 

 equally long, and, as a rule, more massive. Markhor are 

 there sometimes found on the same ground with ibex. In 

 the Dehrajat country, west of the Indus, the markhor are 



