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On the two wild species of Sheep inhabiting the Himalayan region, 

 with some brief remarks on the craniological character of Ovis, and 

 its allies. — By B. H. Hodgson, Esq. Resident at the Court of Nepal. 

 The great paucity of unquestionably wild species of the genus Ovis 

 now found throughout the habitable globe, is a fact that has been em- 

 ployed to cast a speculative doubt upon my announcement (Catalogue 

 of 1832 and 1838,) of two species in the single region of the Hima- 

 laya ; and the circumstance of my not having been able therefore to 

 give as full and satisfactory an account of the second species as I long 

 ago gave of the first, (see Journal for September, 1835,) from living 

 specimens, has tended to confirm the above mentioned doubt. I am 

 still unpossessed of similar valuable materials for the illusrtation of 

 this second species, having never been able to procure the animal alive, 

 nor even to obtain a perfect suite of the spoils of a grown male. I 

 have horns, however, of the mature ram, and sculls and skins of others, 

 varying from one to two years in age ; and from these, not inadequate 

 materials, I purpose now to furnish a specific character of the Ammon- 

 like, as well as (for the sake of comparison,) of the Musmon-like animal, 

 together with craniological sketches and details relative to both ; such 

 as will suffice, I hope, to place beyond further question, the existence 

 of two entirely distinct, new, and peculiar breeds of Sheep in a state of 

 nature in the Himalaya ; where indeed, from the unparalleled elevation 

 and extent of the mountains, it need be no rational matter of surprise 

 that they exist. 



Ovis Ammonoides, Nob. — Large wild sheep, with massive strictly 

 trigonal sub-compressed horns, deeper than broad at the base, presenting 

 a flat surface vertically to the front, and cultrated edge beneath, insert- 

 ed not in contact on the crest of the frontals, remote from the orbits, 

 directed backwards and outwards with a bold circular sweep : the flat- 

 tened points being again subrecurved outwards and the whole surface 

 covered with numerous heavy complete wrinkles : the forehead flat and 

 broad : the nose scarcely arched, and much attenuated to a fine small 

 muzzle : the ears short, pointed, and striated : the tail short and deer- 

 like, and the limbs fine and elevated : the vesture composed of close, 

 thick, more or less porrect, brittle piles of medial uniform length, con- 

 cealing a scanty fleece : no beard nor mane : general colour dull slaty 



