OTIS CTCLOCEEOS. 295 



-by Wolf, Zool. Sketches. — 0. Vignei, Blyth (in part). — Urid or Urial 

 H., in the Punjab. — Koch or Kuch, of the Sulimani range. 



The Oorial, ok Pdnjab Wild Sheep. 



Descr. — Male with the horns sub-triangular, much compressed laterally, 

 transversely sulcated. They touch at the base, curve backvrards and down- 

 wards, then the tip is turned forwards, upwards and inwards towards the 

 orbit. The hair strong and wiry, not woolly. General color rufous-brown 

 or rufous-fawn, the face livid, sides of the mouth, chin, belly, legs below the 

 knee, white ; a blotch on the flanks, the outside of the limbs and a lateral 

 line blackish ; a profuse black-beard from the throat to the breast, in- 

 termixed with some white hairs reaching to the level of the knees. Tail 

 short, white. Eye-pits large. The horns of the male sometimes measure 

 above 2 A feet round the curve, and are nearly 4 inches in diameter at the 

 base. The male measures about 5 feet in length, more or less, and stands 

 nearly 3 feet high. 



The female is much smaller of a more uniform and paler fawn-brown, 

 paler beneath with the belly whitish ; no beard ; horns very short and nearly 

 straight, only 3 or 4 inches long. The group to which this species and 

 0. Vignei belong, was formerly separated as a sub-genus, Caprovis, Hodg- 

 son, distinguished, among other points, by the large beard and mane, 

 and the goat-like character of the hair. 



This wild sheep was formerly confounded with an alKed species, Ovis 

 Vignei of Blyth, found only in highly elevated districts. Living specimens 

 of the Punjab sheep having been presented to the London Zoological 

 Gardens, the distinctions were seen and pointed out by Sclater, who restored 

 the name Button had long previously given it, but which I think he 

 evidently applied to both races. The Oorial is found over the whole Salt 

 range of the Punjab, on the Sulimani range across the Indus, the hills of 

 the Hazara, and those in the vicinity of Peshawur. In most of these 

 localities it occurs at a very low elevation, from 800 feet to 2,000 feet, and 

 rarely 3,000 feet, and it is therefore capable of enduring great heat, and is 

 fully entitled to be included in the strictly Indian Fauna. 



Small flocks of the Oorial may be seen not far from Jhelum. They 

 frequent the rocky and stony hills, and are wary and shy, but from the 

 nature of the ground are not very difficult to stalk. The male has a loud 

 shrill whistle which he sounds as an alarm, and their usual call is a sort of 

 bleat. They rut in September, and have generally tvrins. Seen at a littla 



