44 SOUTH-WESTERN ASIA 



in winter, being alwaj-s paler on the under-parts, with a dark stripe down the lower 

 part of the legs. Young animals are greyish brown, with a dark stripe down the back. 

 Unlike the ibex, which frequents rocky regions above the tree-line, the 

 markhor is generally found among forests on rocky ground, where it keeps much 

 in covert, coming out to graze in the open only in the mornings and evenings. 

 The markhor is perhaps the most imposing of all the wild goats, and surpassed 

 by none in agility, strength, or weight. In height it reaches 41 inches at the 

 withers, and horns measuring 56 and even 60 inches in length are known. 



South-western Asia possesses several well-marked forms of wild 

 sheep, foremost among these being the red, or Gmelin's sheep (Ovis 

 orientalis), which is a reddish-coloured species, often with a faint white saddle- 

 mark in old rams, and the horns curving outwards and backwards in reverse direc- 

 tion to those of the muflon, so as sometimes to nearly meet behind the neck. The 

 ewes are hornless. About 33 inches at the withers is the ordinary height of this 

 sheep ; and horns measuring 36 and 40 inches are known, although the ordinary 

 length is much less. In colour the rams are russet yellow or foxy red above, and 

 whitish on the fore-part of the head and below, with a dark patch on the throat, 

 where there is a fringe of hair, and a dark mark on the front of the fore-legs, the 

 aforesaid whitish saddle-patch on the back being more or less conspicuous. This 

 animal inhabits eastern Persia and Asia Minor, being especially common on the 

 Cilician Taurus. This sheep, of which one race inhabits Armenia, another Anatolia, 

 and a third the southern flank of the Elburz range, is represented on certain islands 

 in Lake Urmi, in Persia, by a race known as 0. orientalis urmiana; and in the 

 Troodos mountains of Cyprus its place is taken by the typical Cyprian race, 

 whose shoulder-height is only about 28 inches. In this the fringe on the throat is 

 smaller, and there is a dark line along the side dividing off the reddish yellow 

 Hanks from the white under-parts. An allied sheep from the Luristan district of 

 Persia has been named 0. isphahanica. 



Very distinct is the urial or sha (0. vignei) typically from Astor and Ladak, 

 but represented in the Salt Range of the Punjab by the race known as 0. vignei 

 cycloceros. Another race, 0. v. blanfordi, inhabits Baluchistan, while a fourth, 

 0, v. arlcal, is found on the Kopet-Dagh, between Turkestan and northern Persia. 

 I'll'' rams have a long ruff of hair hanging down their neck, starting in two 

 i ufts at the chin, which join together on the chest. The horns are coarsely 

 wrinkled and triangular in section, their bases being close together, but above this 

 they sweep outwards, upwards, and finally forwards, seldom forming more than a 

 complete circle. Those of the females are short and almost straight. The colour 

 is reddish brown or fawn in summer and light greyish brown in winter, the 

 lower-] .arts being whitish. The ruff is sometimes black, but generally blackish 

 brown interspersed with white, and in the rams is always white in the front, 

 growing gradually black towards the hinder part. In height the Punjab urial 

 measures 32 inches at the shoulder. The Ladak sha is larger and is said to 

 reach a height of 36 inches or more. 



G The third group of hollow-horned ruminants found in south- 



western Asia is that of the antelopes. Familiar as is the name 

 antelope, yet it is one exceedingly difficult to define, as there is an almost complete 



