ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY OP THE ALTAI MOUNTAINS. 37 



(6) Var. sihirica, Severtzoff, 1. c. 



Cervus elaphus, var., Eadde, Eeiseii im Siiden von Ost- 

 Sibirien, 2 vols. (1862-63). 

 Hah. Altai ; ? Yenesei Valley, E. Sayansk, Transbaikalia ; 

 Duuria ; ? Upper Amur. 



(c) Var. Luehdorji. — Cervus Luhdorjl, Bolau, Abbandl. Ver. 

 Hamburg, vii. p 33 (1880). 

 C. canadensis Luehdorji, Lydekker, op. cit. p. 102. 

 C. isuhra, Noack, Humboldt, viii. p. 6, fig. 5 (1889). 

 Hab. Nortb and East Manchuria, Sutschan river. 



As Herr Biicbner, of the St. Peter.sburg Museum (where alone 

 can be found sufficient material on which to decide the question 

 at issue), has declined at present to express an opinion on a 

 subject which he considers should be monographically treated, 

 it seems the more desirable to place on record the views above 

 suggested. 



The Ibex of the Altai, Capra sihirica, Pallas, the head and 

 horns oF which 1 exhibit, is nearly allied to the Himalayan Ibex, 

 and is common in some parts of the mountains, though very 

 difficult to get at in summer. The Elk was formerly more numerous 

 in the northern districts, but has now become extremely rare ; 

 and the single head which I brought back resembles those which 

 I have seen from European Eussia, differing somewhat in the set 

 of the horns from the Elk of Norway. 



The Eoe, Gapreolus pijgargus, Pallas, is very common in some 

 parts of the Altai and Sayansk mountains, and is a very much 

 larger and finer animdl than the European Eoe. I was at one 

 time under the impression that the wide spread of the horns 

 was a peculiarity of this species ; but it would appear, from the 

 nine heads which I have brought for exhibition — six from the 

 Upper Yenesei valley, and three from the Altai — that this pecu- 

 liarity is by no means constant, and that there is nothing but 

 their size to distinguish them, so far as I see, from the European 

 race. 



The Musk Deer is also very abundant near the upper limit of 

 forest growth, and is snared in quantities by the natives. "We 

 saw as many as 200 skins in one merchant's store. 



Eeindeer are said by Eadde to occur in some parts of the 

 eastern Sayansk range, where they are also kept in a domesticated 



