NATURALIST IN INDIA. 37 



that it is likewise a native of the Muree and other ranges 

 on the north-western frontier of Scinde. The Caucasus, Asia 

 Minor, Syria, and Arabia, are also countries which it inhabits. 

 It does not appear to travel any great distance eastward, and is 

 probably replaced on the higher ranges of Afghanistan and 

 Persia by its noble congener the Himalayan ibex. 



The Caucasian ibex has the hair short and dark brown, 

 with a black line down the back. The beard is also black. 

 Like the European and Himalayan animals, the horns are also 

 bent backwards, but they differ in being more slender and 

 tapering. In the latter, moreover, the horns are three-sided, 

 and the anterior and posterior surfaces sharp, and generally 

 smooth, with the exception of a few irregular tuberosities on 

 the frontal aspect. 



Like the other species, it frequents dangerous and inacces- 

 sible places, such as bleak and barren mountain-tops. 



The chukore, or Cabool partridge, imported from Afghan- 

 istan, is sold in the bazaars. Both the gray and black part- 

 ridges are common in cultivated localities of this neighbour- 

 hood. In the Government Gardens I killed a woodpecker, 

 said to be peculiar to this country. 



The Scinde woodpecker (JPicus scindianv£) is distin- 

 guished from the other pied species by having the sides of 

 the body dirty-white, and a broad streak of black down the 

 side of the neck from the base of the lower mandible. 



The Mahratta woodpecker (P. mahrattensis) is also not 

 uncommon. Sand-shrikes {Lanius arenariui) are plentiful in 

 cactus-bushes in the open country ; and in the dense foliage 

 of the gardens the white-fronted flycatcher {Ehipidura albo- 

 frontata) is often seen. In habits it resembles the broad-tailed 

 species, but the clearness of the white on its body and fore- 

 head will suffice to distinguish it from the other. 



