196 Mr. Blyth on the Genus Ovis. 



They also construct fences for enclosing their cattle, and securing 

 them against the wolves, with which they say the country is infested, 

 and which likewise destroy many of the wild sheep or goats (mou- 

 toni V. becchi or 'boucs')." More recently, an animal called the 

 Rasse was indicated, from report, in Sir Alexander Burnes's ' Tra- 

 vels in Bokhara,' ii. 208, and its horns have since been transmitted 

 to the Royal Asiatic Society by Lieut. Wood, of Sir A. Burnes's 

 party, through the medium of G. T. Vigne, Esq.* In this magnifi- 

 cent specimen of a frontlet I recognize (though with some hesitation) 

 the Ovis sculptorum, formerly described by me from a horn in the 

 Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons ; but as the characters 

 of that specimen, as originally drawn up by me, have not hitherto 

 been published ; as its flexure, too, which suggested the appellation 

 of sculptorum, would appear to form a less extended spiral than is 



* This pair of horns was labelled " Bass, or Roosh ;" and Sir A. Bnrnes 

 writes^" I lieard of an animal called Rasse by the Kirghizes, and Koosltgar 

 by the iiiliabitants of the low countries;" but Lieutenant Wood (in the nar- 

 rative of his ' Journey to the Source of the Oxus,' p. 3G8) distinguishes be- 

 tween the " Rass " and " Kiitch-gur ;" the former " having straight spiral 

 horns, and its dun colour being of a reddish tinge." Mr. Vigne is of opinion 

 that this animal is no other than the Markhur (p. 155), which he tells me 

 is found upon the hills of Budukshan, and which 1 consider to be a feral 

 race of domestic Goats of remarkably large size, but otherwise not essen- 

 tially differing from the Shawl Goat of tiie same countries. Of a spe- 

 cimen of the " Kntch-gar, or Wild Sheep," Lieut. Wood remarks — " It 

 was a noble animal, standing as high as a two-year old colt [Kirghiz 

 Pony?], with a venerable beard and two splendid curHng horns, which, with 

 the head, were so heavy as to require a considerable exertion to lift them. 

 Though in poor condition, the carcass, divested of its offal, was a load for a 

 baggage-pony. Its flesh was tough and ill-tasted ; but we were toLl that in 

 autumn, when the animal is in prime condition, no venison is better flavour- 

 ed. The Kutch-gar is gregarious, associating \\\ herds of several hundreds. 

 They are of a dun colour, the skin more resembling the hide of a cow than 

 the fleece of a [tame] sheep. A skeleton of this animal, and several com- 

 plete crania, were depositcl, I believe, at Indiana." This traveller confirms 

 the statement of Marco Polo, mentioning that — " We saw numbers of liorns 

 strewed about in every direction, the spoils of the Kirgliiz hunter. Some of 

 these were of an astonishingly large size * * *. The ends of these horns, pro- 

 jecting above the snow, often indicated the direction of the road ; and when- 

 ever they were heaped up in large quantities, there our escort recognized 

 the site of a Kirghiz summer encampment." This was at 14,400 feet above 

 sea- level. It is curious tliat the Kirghizes shoe their horses with, and make 

 stirrups from, the horns of this animal. "The shoes are nothing more than 

 a semicircular piece of horn placed on the fore part of the hoof. When the 

 horse is in constant work, it requires renewal at least once a week." Burnes 

 " was told that the Rasse is larger than a cow and less than a horse ; of a 

 white colour, with pendent hair under the chin * * *. The flesh is much 

 prized by the Kirghizes, who hunt and shoot the animal with arrows. It is 

 said to delight in the coldest climates, and a common-sized specimen will 

 require two horses [Kirghiz Ponies] to bear its flesh from the field." The 

 appellation Rasse, it may be remarked, is likewise bestowed on a small 

 species of Civet, the Viverra Rasse, Horsfield, or /'. Indica, Is, Geoff., but 

 not of British authors. — E. B. 



