316 QLASS MAMMALIA. 



they become blunt, angular, and blackish. The horns of 

 the Ram acquire annually another ring. They suffer from 

 various insects, among which the CEstrus Ovis is most de- 

 trimental, the larva introducing themselves from the lips 

 into the nostrils, and thence into the frontal and maxillary 

 pores, stopping them up, and causing diseases which often 

 prove fatal. They are, probably, less dangerous to the 

 wild species, who constantly reside in elevated localities. 

 Sheep feed in preference on alpine and aromatic herbs, and 

 are always more choice than goats in the quality of their 

 pasture. It is stated to be a fact, that they will devour 

 greedily several species of Helix, which come to the sur- 

 face of the soil in dry periods*. 



The high mountains of Bhootan are frequented by an 

 animal of this genus, which may be a variety of the next 

 species. They are known by the name of Nervati, or Wild 

 Sheep of Bhote, and are represented as similar in colour, 

 and in the texture of the hair, to the Chiru, that is a slaty 

 bluish-gray, inclining to red, and concealing, beneath the 

 general superficies, a spare fleece of very soft wool, which 

 lies close to their skin. This colour is, probably, not unlike 

 that of the Musmon, or a liver-coloured gray ; but it may be 

 that the Nervati is of a different species, and even of a dif- 

 ferent genus, because we have no account of the horns. 



The Asiatic Argali. (Ovis Ammon.) This species, observed 

 and described by Gmelin and Pallas, is perhaps, the Pygar- 

 gus and Ophion of the ancients. Rubraquis was the first of 

 the moderns, about 1253, who again noticed it by the name 

 of Artak, most likely an erroneous reading of the MS. for 

 Kirtaka, one of its Tataric names : that of Argali, first ad- 

 mitted by Pallas, is the Mongolic for the female, that of the 

 male being properly Guldschah. Several of its Asiatic 

 names have a reference to the white rump. It also seems 



* The species hitherto mentioned are, H. Ericetosum, Lin. ; Conitus 

 Mull; H. Cingenda, Zeba, Leach; H. Cant i ana, Mont. Leach. 



