368 CAUCASAN IBEX. 



yard in length, and are close at the base, about a 

 foot distant at the middle part, and eight or nine 

 inches at the tips. The female is destitute both 

 of horns and beard. 



In point of strength and agility this species is 

 at least equal, if not superior, to the common 

 Ibex ; it inhabits the loftiest, rocky points of 

 Mount Caucasus, and particularly the parts about 

 the rivers Kuban and Terek ; almost all Asia minor, 

 and may probably extend even to India. It is 

 said to abound on the hills of Laar and Chora- an, 

 in Persia. Monardes also affirms that it is found 

 in Africa, and Mr. Pennant is inclined to belie ve 

 that it may exist in Crete, and even on the Alps, 

 grounding his idea on a figure in one of the works 

 of Ridinger *, which seems intended for the same 

 animal. It has been already observed, under the 

 article of the Common Ibex, that Monardes 

 assures us, he saw a Caucasan Ibex leap from 

 a high tower, and, falling on its horns, spring up 

 without the least injury. In the stomach of this 

 animal, as in some of the Antelopes and other 

 quadrupeds, is occasionally found a Bezoar. 



In Dr. Gmelin's edition of the Systema Xatura? 

 we find a third species of Ibex, under the title of 

 Capra Caucasiaca. It specific character is thus 

 given, viz. C. cornibus retrorsum et extrorsum ar- 

 cuatis, aplce denuo introrsum vergentibus, obsolete 

 triquetris, antice nodosis. This is the kind de- 

 scribed by Guldenstedt in the Transactions of the 



* Entwurf einiger thierc, 71. 



