152 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



underlying coat, which in the winter becomes thick and bulky, falls away in 

 the months of March and April, and, in the early summer, can be seen in 

 scattered patches still attached to the animal, especially about the neck 

 and shoulders, separated completely from the skin and capable of being 

 pulled out in large handfuls. The yak is not the sole creature on the 

 Pamirs that throws off its winter garments in such great profusion. The 

 camel, though in winter clad in the thickest and warmest of hairy coverings, 

 in summer becomes entirely naked and from the bodies of even the domesti- 

 cated dogs I have seen thick layers of wool hanging to their bodies, the 

 remnants of a uniform coating which in winter clothes them. The young 

 yak differs markedly from its parent in the absence of those long hairs 

 which so characterize the latter, and they do not appear to become 

 noticeable in calves until the second or third month. The nomads find 

 both varieties of hair useful for different purposes. With the long hairs they 

 plait ropes and the fine underlying coat they weave into carpets. 



It may be of interest to refer to some of the habits of the yak. Like 

 others of the bovine species it delights in standing up to its middle in 

 running water and is often seen wallowing in the icy rivers descending 

 from the snout of a glacier. It climbs thousands of feet up the mountain 

 side in search of fresh grazing grounds and, in spite of its apparent clum- 

 siness, the cleverness and agility it displays in clambering from rock to rock 

 is amazing. It is an extraordinary patient creature and will often remain 

 almost immobile for half an hour at a time. A clever rider can urge this 

 ungainly beast into a steady amble and, on occasions, into a smart gallop; 

 and it is a strange characteristic that so drowsy and sullen a creature will 

 sometimes start at strange objects as foolishly as a skittish horse, while, at 

 other times, it becomes so sleepy as to lie down beneath its rider. The 

 hinder portion of the spine is extremely tender and the rider takes a 

 cruel advantage of this by continually pounding the animal on the tender 

 area with a thick stick. To such an extent is this unfeeling act prolonged 

 that at the end of a long march every yak is suffering from a bleeding and 

 ulcerated b&ck. The yak loves companionship. A herd of the creatures, 

 moving together, will travel at a rapid pace but if one be separated from 

 the remainder of the herd or if a single animal detects others of its kind on 

 a neighbouring hill-side, it will exert all its pertinacity and stubbornness in 

 the endeavour to join them. When a yak becomes determined to travel 

 no further, and this often occurs when it is confronted by a steep hill, it 

 depresses its head almost completely to the ground, strains painfully on 

 the nose rope and, in spite of all human persuasion, both gentle and severe, 

 it obstinately turns round and rushes precipitoiisly down the slope. The 

 yak is in its element in the snow, A herd usually travels in single file 

 and each member will carefully place its feet in the imprints left by 

 the hoofs of the one which preceded it. 



An interesting deformity was, on one occasion, observed. From a point 

 in the centre of the face, about three inches above the anterior margins of 

 the nasal apertures, was seen growing forwards a third horn. The horn 

 was about two inches in the vertical diameter and one inch transversely 

 and was oval in shape, with the long axis directed upwards. It was not 

 more than a few inches in length and was truncated owing to the tip 

 being broken off. Its direction was downwards and forwards and the 

 broken end tended to turn upwards. The yak delights in licking the 

 snow and, in the valleys, may sometimes be noticed eating quantities of 

 earth, presumably for the purpose of obtaining the saline ingredients 

 which, in places, cover the ground with a white efflorescence. 

 • The yak, though the beast of burden of the nomads, musbbe considered 

 as only partially domesticated. It finds its food where and when it 



