OTIS NAIIUEA. 297 



In summer the coat is overlaid with a distinct rufous tint. In winter the 

 coat is stated by some to be dark-brown in certain localities, thus corres- 

 ponding with Blyth's account of 0. burhel, but these were probably young 



animals. 



Length of male to root of tail 4^ to 5 feet ; height 30 inches to 36 ; 

 head 11 inches ; tail 7 ; horns 2 feet and upwards round the curve, and 12 

 to 13 inches in circumference at base. 



The female is smaller, with small, straightish, sub-erect, depressed, 

 slightly recurved horns. The dark marks are smaller, and of less extent, 

 and the chaffron is straighter. The young are darker and browner. 



The head of the Buri-elis somewhat coarse, with the chaffron arched and 

 a heavy muzzle. There is no mane, the knees and sternum are callous ; ■ 

 the limbs long and slender, and the false hoofs mere callosities. 



Blyth at one time, from the examination of a very dark skin, contended 

 that there were two species confounded under the name of hurrel, but he 

 has since reduced them to one species. He stated that his 0. burhel was 

 smaller, and more robust than 0. nalioor, with a very short tail, and a 

 harsher coat than that species. 



The Burrel, or blue wild sheep, is found from Sikim, and probably Bho- 

 tan to near Simla, but not extending further west than the valley of the 

 Sutlej, its place being taken to the north and west by Ovis Vignei. It is 

 found on this side the great snowy range at the head of the Tonse river, in 

 the Buspa valley, near the source of the Ganges, and still more abundant 

 eastward in Kumaon and Gurhwal, in the ranges between the Pindar and 

 Bhagirutty rivers. It is found at great elevations, from the limits of 

 forest to the extreme limits upwards of vegetation, in summer generally 

 keeping to the tops of the hills, and even in winter rarely descending below 

 the forests. 



These animals prefer grassy slopes to rocky ground, and associate in 

 flocks of various size, from four or five to fifty or even a hundred. They 

 are timid and watchful, one or more being always on the look out, and 

 giving a sharp shrill whistle on being alarmed, but they do not heed 

 noises much, not even the report of a gun if the shooter is concealed. 

 Early in the spring is the best time to shoot them, as the supply of 

 grass being then small, their ground is more limited, and they are obliged 

 to feed all day; later in the season they only feed morning and 

 evening. The males and females sometimes associate all the year round, 

 but generally large flocks of both sexes are often met with separately, 



2 Q 



