270 THE SHEEP AND ITS COUSINS 



and northwards to the Kuenlun Range ; its eastern 

 limits are not definitely known. The thick, massive 

 horns of old rams form, at most, but very little more 

 than one complete circle, and when this is the case 

 their tips do not extend beyond the lateral margins 

 of the middle portion of the horns, or, at most, to a 

 very small degree. The maximum length is from 

 about 48J to 57 inches, and the basal girth from 

 17 to 19 inches. Old males develop an abundant 

 throat-ruff of long white hairs, which appears to be 

 retained at all seasons,^ and it is probable that the 

 summer coat is not so short as that of the Altai 

 argali, as the present species lives at a much greater 

 elevation, which in summer is over 15,000 feet 

 above sea-level, although in winter 12,000 feet 

 forms the lower limit. 



Dr. Blanford'^ described the colour of the 

 (apparently summer) coat of the Tibetan argali as 

 being "greyish brown above, paler and whitish 

 below. In males the caudal disk surrounding the 

 tail, the rump, throat, chest, belly, and insides of the 

 legs are white, chest and a stripe down the front of 

 each leg dark. Old males are grizzled on the back, 

 white hairs being mixed with the brown of the 

 upper-parts. A dark mark above the tail. Females 

 have little or no mane, the white is less pure, and 

 the caudal disk is indistinct." 



' Blanfordj Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, p. 787. 

 * Fauna Brit, India — Mamm., p. 495. 



