54 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



parks, constituting one of the most important trades 

 of the country with China. The stags' horns, while 

 still "in velvet," are sawn off before they reach 

 their full growth. For this purpose there is con- 

 structed in one corner of the park a small wooden 

 enclosure, with a narrow passage sunk in the ground 

 to a depth corresponding" to the animal's height. The 

 stag is driven into this until he can neither turn nor 

 move forward ; then a strong bar is fastened behind 

 his neck, so that he is entirely disabled, his head 

 alone appearing above the level of the ground. Idle 

 horns, having been cut off, are carefully dried and 

 sent to China, where they are sold at high |>rices. 

 An average head fetches from ioo to 120 roubles 

 (/,io to £12), at fifteen roubles per pound. Our 

 host told us that the largest sum obtained for one 

 pair of horns was 180 roubles. Naturally such a 

 price being a fortune for a wretched Kalmuk, the 

 Maral is becoming exterminated in the Altai, and 

 lately the Government has been taking strong 

 measures for the preservation of this magnificent 

 animal by strictly prohibiting" its being shot in the 

 district. Unfortunately the means of enforcing" this 

 law are very limited owing to the want of a 

 sufficient number of officials, and the wide extent 

 of this animal's range. As will appear later, we 



