WILD SHEEP OF ASIA AND AMERICA 263 



The same writer observes that the horns arise 

 close together on the forehead, diverge consider- 

 ably, and are curved round nearly in a circle, some- 

 times keeping almost, or even absolutely, in one 

 plane, but sometimes spirally wound. The curve 

 very rarely exceeds a circle. Lengths of from 24 

 to 30 inches, with a girth of about 10 inches, are 

 good dimensions for horns of Punjab and Ladak 

 specimens ; but, as recorded below, these measure- 

 ments are greatly exceeded by some heads from 

 other localities. 



The range of the urial is very wide, extending 

 from the Turkoman country along the north side 

 of the Elburz range of Persia to Baluchistan, 

 Afghanistan, the Trans -Indus and Punjab Salt 

 Ranges of India, Astor, Gilgit, Ladak, and east- 

 wards into Tibet. Not less remarkable is the 

 variation in its vertical range, which extends from 

 a height of between 14,000 and 12,000 feet in 

 Ladak and Tibet to a few hundred feet above sea- 

 level in the Punjab and Sind, This implies, of 

 course, corresponding differences in climate ; the 

 Trans-Indus Ranges and the Salt Range being 

 some of the hottest parts of India in summer, 

 whereas the winter climate of Astor and Ladak 

 is intensely cold. 



With such a great geographical range, it is 

 but natural to expect that the urial would exhibit 

 considerable local variations, and the following 



