1 84 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



also met with antelopes of a much smaller species, 

 which my Kalmuks called "Suite." They would 

 start at a few hundred yards from us and jump for 

 some time on the same spot like india-rubber balls 

 before dashing off at a tremendous pace. I do not 

 know that this curious little animal has ever been 

 described before, and am sorry that, being intent on 

 shooting sheep, we did not endeavour to secure one 

 or two specimens. We did not see any of them 

 beyond the Suok steppe, in the valley of the Kobdo, 

 nor on the Kosh-Agatch plain, where, however, on 

 our return journey, we bagged several of the larger 

 antelope. I should estimate the height of the smaller 

 species to be about twenty inches at the withers, 

 roughly speaking, and the coat was of a dark brown 

 hue, growing lighter under the stomach. 



When we had finally crossed the dreary steppe 

 we began ascending one of the numerous parallel 

 ravines leading up to the higher grounds, and our 

 ponies found it by no means easy to toil up the 

 steep marshy slopes. There was no avoiding it, 

 however, and at 6 a.m. we landed on a broad plateau, 

 from which a promising sheep country came into 

 view. Two or three heads of wild sheep strewed 

 the ground, and gave us hopes of success. Here 

 we drew lots, Littledale and I, and parted on our 



