478 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA 



Capra walic (Ruppell). Abyssinian Ibex. 

 (Native name, "Wala.") 



The most important result, zoologically, of Mr. Powell -Cotton's ex- 

 pedition was undoubtedly the procuring of a fine series of this magnificent 

 wild goat, which had hitherto only been known from one immature male 

 (the type) and another skin and a few traded horns. 



It was described by Riippell in 1835, and has remained practically 

 unknown until 1 901. At the meeting of the Zoological Society on iSth 

 June 1 90 1, I made the following remarks on this species : — 



When Mr. R. Lydekker wrote his great work The Wild Oxen, Sheep, 

 mid Goats of An Lands, in 1898, this fine species was only known from 

 the type specimens in the Senckenberg Museum at Frankfort. Since then a 

 few pairs of horns have been unearthed, collected at various times by Herr 

 Menges, the wild-beast trapper, but it has remained for Mr. Powell-Cotton 

 to clear up the history of Capra ica/ic by the fine series he has collected of 

 this fast-vanishing form. 



Riippell's original description is as follows : — " Front and upper side of 

 head, neck, and back beautiful chestnut-brown ; muzzle, a curved streak 

 between eye and ear, sides of neck, body, and rump reddish umber-brown. 

 Region under the eye and ear, the chin, throat, chest, and inner surface of 

 the thighs and belly dirty white. Outer side of thighs and legs and sides 

 of belly dirty gray. Feet whitish, with a large spot at the fetlock and a 

 stripe down the legs black. Root of tail chestnut-brown, tip black. Inner 

 side of ears white, with a reddish border, outer surface red-brown. Iris of 

 eye pale brown, pupil dark blue." 



The principal differences separating this ibex from Capra niibiana were 

 the shorter beard and the horns, which are thick and stout and more like 

 those of Capra sibirica. It differed from all other forms of ibex in the bony 

 protuberance on the forehead. 



Rijppeirs type had the horns only 25 inches long, measured over the 

 curve ; but Mr. Powell-Cotton's largest adult male had horns 43^^ and 43-I 

 inches, while his smallest had them 41 1 and 41 inches. 



Mr Powell-Cotton's notes on the habits, etc., of this fine animal are as 

 follows : — 



" This ibex Is called wala by the Abyssinians, and is said to exist only 

 in the mountains of Simien. I shot four specimens at the commencement 

 of autumn (end of June), just at the beginning of the rutting season. There 

 were slight falls of snow and hail, and it was very cold at night. There are 

 said to be two feet of snow on the hill-tops in August. On 25th June I saw 

 two males and one female ; later, on the same day, I saw a larger male by 



