MOUXTAIN SHEEP. 263 



ing to see the activity with which so large an animal 

 climbs the most inaccessible places. The smallest 

 ledge serves as a foothold for the kukii-yaman on 

 which he can balance his body on his thick legs. 

 Sometimes when a stone gives way under the weight 

 of the animal, and rolls down the precipice with a 

 loud noise, you expect the sheep to go down after 

 it, but the next minute it leaps over the rocks as if 

 nothing had happened. On seeing the hunter the 

 kuku-yaman whistles two or three times, and after 

 a few bounds stops to see луЬепсе the danger pro- 

 ceeds. He then offers a fair mark for the bullet ; 

 only you must not delay, otherwise, after remaining 

 stationary a few seconds, he will continue his flight. 

 When undisturbed the kuku-yaman generally moves 

 at a footpace or slow canter, sometimes holding his 

 head down. 



The kuku-yaman is generally very wary and 

 never allows anything suspicious to approach it. Its 

 organs of scent, hearing, and sight are admirably 

 developed ; it is impossible to come лvithin 200 

 paces of it downwind. Before evening it seeks its 

 favourite alpine meadows to graze, and in the morn- 

 ing when the sun is high again returns to its native 

 rocks. Here it will take up a position on some 

 ledee and remain as motionless as a statue, now and 

 then turning its head from side to side. I have seen 

 the animal at such moments of repose on a shelving 

 ledge of rock with its hind quarters reared above its 

 head, and yet apparently perfectly at its ease. About 

 mid-day these sheep generally rest on the ledges of 



