1874.] 



MR. E. WARD ON A NEW SHEEP. 



143 



3. On a supposed new Species of Wild Sheep from Ladak. 

 By Edwin Ward, F.Z.S. 



[Received January 20, 1874.] 



The head and horns of the sheep I now exhibit, and for which I 

 propose the name of " Ovis brookei," differs, in the opinion of the 

 late Mr. Blyth, Sir Victor Brooke, myself, and others, from all heads 

 of wild sheep with which it has been compared. 



It is therefore believed that this head belongs to an undescribed 

 animal, as the following measurements of the skull as well as those of 

 the horns and character of the same may serve to show. 



Fig. 1. 



Front view of head of Ovis brookei. 



The length of the skull of O. brookei from between the horns to 

 end of the prfemaxillse is 1 1 inches, that being an inch and a quarter 

 longer than in the two specimens named O. vignei in the College of 

 Surgeons, and also in that of O. vignei here exhibited for comparison. 



The width between the eye-orbits measures 4-| in., that of O. vignei 

 4| in. The horns of this specimen of 0. brookei, although belonging 

 to a young animal (as evinced by the teeth and the four pro- 

 gressive annual stages of the horns), measure 33| in. in length, the 

 circumference at base is 13-f- ; that of O. vignei, eight years old, is 

 31g in. in length, whilst round the base it is only 10| in., O. brookei 

 being therefore 3 in. the larger in circumference, as also 2 in. longer, 

 although a much younger animal. 



I find by an examination of the skull and horns of O. vignei in the 

 Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons as before referred to, which 

 are marked "3778" and described as "Ladak Argali (O. vignei) 



