234 WANDEEINGS OF A 



the same peculiarity) with shorter horns than the Himalayan. 

 I am unable, however, to make out any further distinction. 

 The average length of a full-grown Cashmere ihex's horns 

 varies from 28 to 40 inches round the curve ; they sometimes, 

 however, attain a much larger size. A pair found in an 

 avalanche measured 48 J inches round the curve of each horn. 

 Those of the female seldom exceed a foot and a half. Like 

 the markhore, the horns of the ibex vary much both in curva- 

 ture and dimensions. They generally taper to a point, and 

 proceed upwards and backwards, with sometimes the tips 

 directed downwards, almost touching the animal's back ; 

 others diverge a good deal, and end abruptly, as in many 

 European specimens. The age of the male may be generally 

 ascertained by coimting the iissures on the flat sides of the 

 horns, and not the knobs in front, as some have supposed. 

 The female gestates nine months, and has sometimes two kids, 

 although one is the usual number. It is seldom that the rigors 

 of even the severest winter drive the ibex into the lowland 

 valleys. When forced from their accustomed haunts they seek 

 the stunted piaes at the limits of forests, and roam about in 

 sheltered rocky situations, picking up moss, lichens, or nib- 

 bling the bark of trees. The shickarees say they are partial 

 to clayey soils, which they lick, perhaps on account of the 

 salts of soda, sodium, borax, etc., to which I have observed 

 the bara-singa seem very partial. Their favourite food is a 

 nardus, which grows in tufts at high elevations, and affords 

 one of the means by which the adventurous hunter is enabled 

 to preserve his footing on the dangerous and difi&cult situa- 

 tions frequented by these animals. During winter the ibex 

 is thickly clad with hair and woolly pileage. The latter is 

 finer than that of even the Ladakh goats, which afford the 

 material for the shawls of Cashmere. 



