1886.] mr. p. l. sclater on wjld g(mts. 315 



1. Capra pyrenaica. 



Capra pyrenaica, Schinz, Neue Denkschr. d. allg. Schweiz. Ges. 

 Nat. ii. p. 9, t. ii., iii. (1838). 



Capra hispanica, Scliimper, Compt. Rend. xxvi. p. 318 (1848). 



The Spanish Ibex is now well known to occur not only in the 

 Pyrenees bnt, under a slightly altered phase, in Central Spain and 

 in the higher ranges of Andalusia and Portugal. It is curious that 

 it is more nearly allied to the Caucasian Ibex than to the Ibex of 

 the Alps. 



The only specimens of this species we have yet received alive are 

 those presented by Major Howard Irby in 1868 and 18G9 '. They 

 were obtained in the Sierra Hermosura, north of Marbella, in the 

 province of Malaga. 



2. Capra ibex, Linn. 



Capra ibex, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 95. 



So far as I know the Steinbok, or Bouquetin, is confined to the 

 Alps of Switzerland, Savoy, and Tyrol, wiiere it is now become 

 nearly extinct, except in one or two places in which it has been 

 specially cared for and artificially preserved for sporting purposes. 

 Whether the pair of this species presented to us by the late King of 

 Italy in 18(i2 were really perfectly pure was, I have always thought, a 

 little doubtful ; at all events it is well known that the Alpine 

 Ibex breeds freely with the Domestic Goat, and 1 have seen many 

 such hybrids. 



3. Capra .egagrus, Gm.- (Plate XXXI.) 



The Wild Goat, which was so abundant over the Grecian Archi- 

 pelago in the time of Homer, seems now only to exist in Crete and 

 some of the smaller Cyclades'. 



It appears, however, to be found throughout the mountains of 

 Asia Minor and Persia, and to extend into Sind and Baluchistan'. 

 There can be no question, 1 suppose, that the Domestic Goat is a 

 derivative principally of this species, but with a piobable mixture of 

 other sf)ecies in different localities. Mr. T. B. Sandwith, H.B.M. 

 Consul for Crete, has sent us several examples of Wild Goats which 

 must be referred to this species. 



Mr. Sniit's drawing (Plate XXXI.) represents a fine male of this 

 animal, presented by Mr. Sandwith iu March 1884. 



4. Capra caucasica'. 



Capra caucasica, Giild. Act. Petrop 1/79, pt. 2, p. 2/3 (1/83). 

 ^Eijoceros amrnon, Pallas, Zoograph. i. p. 229. 



' See 'List of Vertebrate Aiiiiunls,' ed. 8, p. l.'i.'J. 



'•^ For synonymy, see Blaaford, J. A. S. B. xliv. pt. ii. p. 1.5. 



^ Antime'os and Joura. See Erliard, ' Fauna der Cjkladen' (Leipzig, 1858), 

 p. 32, whei-e this species is described as ZSgoccros j)ictus. 



^ Blanford, ' Eastern Persia,' vol. ii. p. 89. 



•' The bpcciinens called Capra caucasica in the Britisli Museuiu belong either 

 to Capra (eijat/ruts or to a closely allied species, with the hums coiiiprcs-sed and 

 angular iu front. 



21* 



