74 Sport and Life in the Further Himalaya 



range dividing Chitral and Kafiristan, gradually 

 work their way northwards, eventually crossing 

 over to the high knot of mountains beyond Majam. 

 The summer pelage of markhor is of a yellow- 

 ish white, making them almost as conspicuous in 

 the distance as a flock of sheep. In the winter 

 the coats of the old bucks are of a dark iron- 

 grey, looking in the snow almost black, a curious 

 reversal of the usual seasonal protective colouring 

 exhibited by other beasts and birds that live much 

 in the snow. As is well known, this peculiarity 

 is shared with them by the European chamois. 

 The strong winter colouring is no doubt con- 

 nected with the rut and the high living they 

 have enjoyed during the summer. Talking of 

 this function, it is marvellous with what regu- 

 larity the sexes of this wild goat begin to inter- 

 mingle on a fixed date in December. During 

 the first part of the month you may search in 

 vain for full-grown males, though females and 

 young may be seen in plenty. In the Gilgit 

 district, it is on the 22nd of December, almost 

 to the day, that the males emerge from the rocks 

 and crannies in which they have been hidden and 

 join the herds. The explanation given by the 

 local people is quaint and picturesque. The 

 farmers of Dardistan have no almanacs, so in 

 order to mark the day on which to begin sowing 



