SPORT ON THE PLATEAUX 349 



they are parallel at the bases, diverging sharply above, 

 with the tips gently bending inwards again. 



The almost complete absence of dark face-markings 

 and the shortness and light colour of the tail are the 

 marked characteristics of the three species of gazelle 

 that are peculiar to the Chinese Empire. These are 

 G. picticaudata of Tibet, G. prjevalskii of the Ordos, 

 Ala Shan and Kansu, and G. gutturosa of North Mon- 

 golia. I do not include G. subgutturosa, with its com- 

 paratively long black tail, as, although it inhabits Dzun- 

 garia and Chinese Turkestan, it is not peculiar to China, 

 Russian Turkestan and Western Asia being the centres 

 of its distribution. In comparing the horns of the 

 three Chinese gazelle, I find that they have common 

 characteristics which differ from those of other Asiatic 

 species. The above description of the horns of G. 

 gutturosa stands also for the other two varieties, with 

 the exception of the backward bend, which is decidedly 

 more pronounced in picticaudata, and slightly more in 

 prjevalskii. There is also a slight difference in the 

 formation of the rings. For the first two-thirds of 

 their length they diverge very slightly, the terminal 

 portion bending out, and then in, sharply. Those of 

 the Dzungarian gazelle diverge considerably from their 

 base upwards with a decided backward bend, the terminal 

 portion forming a less pronounced hook. 



Later on, we observed a few female ibex and arkar. 

 This range is evidently a favourite breeding-ground, 

 but I doubt if there are any big rams there at the present 

 day ; at any rate, we saw none. 



After a long day in the saddle, just at dusk, we 

 dropped down into the Chagan-gol Valley, and found our 

 camp pitched some five miles below the camp of the 



