284 WILD BEASTS OF THE WOELD 



in the mountains of Abyssinia ; and there is one in Arabia (C nubiatmX 

 somewhat intermediate between the Asiatic Ibex amd the Wild Goat 

 in colour and style of horns. 



THE TURS 



The Turs form a group of three species, two of them found in the 

 Caucasus and one in the Pyrenees. The Caucasian Turs are of a 

 nearly uniform brown, and they have very different horns, those of 

 the East Caucasian species (Caftra cylindricornis) being strongly 

 curved and diverging sideways, while in the West Caucasian animal 

 (C. caucasicd) they turn backwards as in the Ibexes. The Spanish 

 Tur (C. pyrenaicd) has the horns ridged and twisted, and in its 

 colour more resembles the Wild Goat. 



THE TAHR 



{Hemitragus jemluicus) 



This well-known Himalayan Goat is an animal of a type very distinct 

 from any of the above. There is no beard in either sex, and the 

 horns, which curve backwards, are quite short, being hardly more than 

 a foot long even in the buck, although he is as big as the Markhor. 

 As, however, he possesses a fine dark brown coat, with a long pale- 

 coloured mane covering the neck, he is a sufficiently imposing animal. 

 Females and young animals are much paler. All stages of growth can 

 commonly be seen in our Zoological Gardens, where Tahr have long 

 lived and bred remarkably well. In the wild state, like Markhor,, they 

 frequent very steep ground, often covered with forests, and the two 

 species may at times be found together. 



There are two other species of Tahr, the Arabian {H. jayakari), 

 which is the smallest Wild Goat known, being only about two feet at 

 the shoulder, and the Nilgiri Tahr of South India, often erroneously 

 called Ibex by sportsmen there. This species (H. hylocrius) is larger 

 than the northern Tahr, but has not the long mane, : though old 

 bucks are ornamented by a large whitish " saddle," contrasting with 

 the dark brown coat. 



