Wild Goat of Afghanistan. 521 



be at once apparent, on comparing the skulls of the two 

 species ; in the Ovis steatopyga, the horns have the anterior 

 surface rounded, instead of flat ; they are spiral from the 

 very base ; only semi-triangular, and with the superior edge 

 rounded and folding over ; the space between the orbits is 

 one-fourth greater, and the chaffron is strongly arched, all 

 of which characters are wanting in the wild race. 



" Borz" of the Afghans — Wild Goat of Afghanistan, 

 " The Paseng" of Authors. By Captain Hutton. 



Capra .^Egagrus, Pallas. Plate xix. 



This noble animal is an inhabitant of the mountain dis- 

 tricts of Afghanistan, especially among the lofty crags of the 

 Soolimaun and Pisheen Hills, where it chooses the most in- 

 accessible place for its haunts. It is, however, likewise found 

 in other places of considerable elevation, and may be said to 

 range more or less abundantly over the greater part of Af- 

 ghanistan and Persia. 



The height of a full grown individual living in my pos- 

 session at Candahar, was three feet and one inch at the 

 shoulder ; from the muzzle to the extremity of the tail five 

 feet one and half inch ; length of the tail from its insertion 

 to the tip of the hair five inches. The horns differ in 

 length, according to the age of the animal. Those of the 

 specimen above mentioned, measured along the curve from 

 base to tip, three feet and four and half inches. Width be- 

 tween the tips twenty-two and three quarter inches. Basal 

 circumference eight inches. It was said to be nine years 

 old, judging from the joints of the horns. 



In the female, the horns are much smaller. I have one 

 specimen, whose measurement is as follows: length along 



3 u 



