494 



Wild Sheep of Himalaya. 



[Sept. 



Remarks. Differs from Musmon, to which it is closely allied, by the 

 decided double flexure of the horns ; their presence in the females, and 

 the want of a tuft beneath the throat. With reference to the imperfect 

 account of the Ndhoor, published in the Transactions, I should not omit 

 to say, in conclusion, that the Ndhoor and Banbhera are separate species, 

 the former being the Himalayan type of Musmon perhaps : and the 

 latter, certainly, that of Ammon. 



Having now completed the descriptions of the wild goat and wild 

 sheep, I shall proceed to the exhibition of the points of difference and 

 of -resemblance existing between the two, beginning with the former. 



Goat. Sheep. 



Whole structure stronger and more 



compact. 

 Limbs thicker and more rigid. 

 Hoofs higher and more compact. 

 False hoofs well developed. 

 Head smaller and finer. 

 Facial line straight. 

 Ears shorter and rounded. 

 Tail short, flat, nude below. 

 Withers higher than croup. 

 Fore legs stronger than hind. 

 Croup sloped off. 

 Odorous. 



Nose moister, and nares short and wide. 

 Horns of medial size, keeled and turn- 

 ed upwards. 

 Eye darker and keener. 

 Hair long and unequal. 

 Back arched. 



Bears change of climate well. 

 Is eminently curious, capricious, and 



confident. 

 Barks trees with its horns, feeding on 



the peel and on aromatic herbs. 

 In fighting, rears itself on its hind legs, 



and lets the weight of its body fall 



on the adversary. 



The goat and sheep have in common hair and wool ; no beard ; no suborbital 

 sinuses ; evanescent muzzle ; no inguinal pores. Horns in contact at top of head ; 

 knees and sternum callous ; angular and transversely wrinkled horns ; striated 

 ears ; two teats only in the females : horns in both sexes, and incisors of pre- 

 cisely the same forms. 



Of the various diagnostics, then, proposed by Hamilton Smith, it 

 would seem, that the following only can be perfectly relied on to sepa- 

 rate Ovis from Capra. Slender limbs ; longer pointed ears ; chaffron 



Less so. 



Feebler and more slender. 



Lower, and less so. 



Evanescent. 



Larger and heavier. 



Chaffron arched. 



Longer and pointed. 



Larger, less depressed and \ nude only. 



Croup higher. 



Fore and hind equal. 



Not so. 



Not so. 



Less moist, and nares larger and narrower. 



Horns very large, not keeled and turned 



to the sides. 

 Paler and duller. 

 Short and equal. 

 Back straight. 

 Bears it ill. 

 Is incurious, staid, and timid. 



Does not bark trees, and is less addict- 

 ed to aromatics. 



In fighting, runs a tilt, adding hither the 

 force of impulse to that of weight. 



