198 THE SHEEP AND GOATS 
The TIBETAN ARGALI is a little 
smaller in size, and has slightly 
smaller horns. The rams have also 
a large white ruff on the throat. 
These sheep descend in winter to the 
lower valleys of the Tibetan plateau, 
returning to the higher ground in 
spring. The lambs are born in May 
or June. 
LITTLEDALE’S SHEEP is a 
smaller animal, found on the Sair 
Mountains in the Great Altai, on the 
northwestern border of Mongolia. It 
is darker in colour than the argali or 
Marco Polo’s sheep, and has dark 
under-parts. 
Writing of the argali of Southern 
Siberia, the naturalist Brehm says 
that when the Tartars want mutton 
an argali hunt is organised. The BARBARY SHEEP 
Tartar hunters advance on their horses 
at intervals of 200 or 300 yards, and 
when the sheep are started generally 
manage, by riding, shooting, coursing them with dogs, and shouting, to bewilder, shoot, or 
capture several. 
On the high plateau of the Pamirs and the adjacent districts MARCO POLO’S SHEEP is 
found. The rams are only slightly Jess in size than the Siberian argali; the hair is longer than 
in that species, and the horns are thinner and more slender and extend farther in an outward 
direction. An adult ram may weigh 300 lbs. The first description of this sheep was given 
by the old traveller whose name it now bears. He said that on the Pamir plateau wild 
animals are met with in large numbers, 
particularly a sheep of great size, 
having horns three, four, and even 
six palms in length. 
These fine wild sheep are found in the Atlas and Aures Mountains of North Africa 
THE Oortat, 
The vast range of the Himalaya 
affords feeding-ground to other 
species of wild sheep and wild goat, 
so different in the shape of the horns 
that the variations of the ovine race 
under domestication need not be 
matter for wonder when so much 
variety is seen in nature. 
The Oortat, or Sua, is found 
from North-west India to Persia. 
The horns make a half-curve back- 
wards, and are flattened. The coat is 
of reddish-brown colour, with white 
— on the belly, legs, and throat. This 
BARBARY SHEEP species is the only wild sheep found 
This shows a fine ram, with a mane reaching almost to its hoof in India proper. 
tis debatnZ 
