402 SPORT IN EUROPE 



mountain game. Chamois and tur {Capra caitcasica) are to be found 

 in large numbers in its north-western districts, Burhel (Capra 

 pai/asii) inhabit the high ground around Mount Kasbek, as well as 



Daghestan, where Capi'a cegagrus likewise occurs, but 



The 



^ the latter is more numerous alonor the valley of the 



Caucasus. ^ ^ 



Araxes, on the Persian border. Craggy cliffs, over- 

 looking that river on either side, afford them capital retreats in case of 

 danger, and the pasturage on the plateau above is excellent grazing. 

 They are very seldom disturbed in these native haunts, and I believe 

 that the sportsman who wishes to secure a specimen of that ancestor 

 of all domestic goats could not do better than try the country between 

 Nahitchevan and Ordoubad. These regions also contain the Anato- 

 lian sheep {Ovis orient alis anatolica, Radde). I came across two or 

 three herds of the latter in 1 896, but my attempts to approach them 

 proved unsuccessful, although several goats fell to my rifle. The 

 older bucks are as wily as possible, and remain the whole day con- 

 cealed amongst inaccessible crags. They go down to the river to 

 drink during the night, and it is only at early dawn that they are to 

 be found grazing on the higher tablelands, when the chance of a shot 

 has to be taken almost in the dark. 



Chamois are plentiful in most parts of the north-western Caucasus. 

 Drives, or gais, used to be the only mode of securing them ; but 



the ineffectiveness of this plan has now been proved, 

 Chamois. , 1-1 



and the Grand Duke Serge, on whose territory the 



greatest number occur, resorts entirely to stalking. As many as 



twenty have been shot in this way in one day. As regards size, 



the Caucasian chamois never attains such laroe dimensions as those, 



