210 WANDERINGS OF A 



meet, one invariably attacks the other. As far as my observa- 

 tions extend, the black seems always the assailant. However, 

 the ibex and markhore often dispute each other's footing ; and 

 I am not aware that they are ever met with on the same ranges. 

 The shickarees all agree that the Cashmere stag flies before 

 the tare and markhore, when the two latter are driven by the 

 rigors of winter to seek food and shelter in the deer forests, 

 for it is seldom they leave the dizzy crags or the mountain- 

 tops unless forced by severity of weather. The pugna- 

 cious tendencies of both goats and sheep in the wild state 

 are just as strong as when domesticated. The markhore, tare, 

 ibex, and houriar all charge in much the same fashion as their 

 civilised congeners. I have seen two strange herds meet, and 

 the old males rushed at one another, whilst the hinds and young 

 seemed perfectly indifferent. A native informed me that he 

 had observed two male ibex fighting on the shelf of a rock until 

 one pushed the other over, which fell, shattered to pieces, 

 many hundreds of feet below. Thus the strongest gains the 

 day, and the weakest goes to the wall. The constant warfare 

 for ascendency must act through ages on'a race, and provided 

 the victor and the strongest males get possession of the 

 females, the result will be a healthy, vigorous progeny ; 

 whereas, as already remarked in the case of the red-deer, by 

 destroying the old stags, we leave the propagation to imma- 

 ture individuals. 



In spite of the remonstrances of the natives, and the in- 

 salubrious weather of the monsoon months, I started alone, 

 in July 1854, from Serinuggur to hunt the markhore on the 

 summits of the Peer Pinjal. At that season the larger game 

 are casting their winter coats ; the deer are without horns, 

 and in bad condition; the bears are safe among the ever- 

 green verdure of their native haunts, and the ibex and mark- 



