568 Journal of a trip through Kunawur, ^c. [No. 102. 



I showed a plate of the European ibex to the Leepee hunter, 

 asking him if he knew what it was, and he had scarcely set eyes on 

 it, when he exclaimed with delight, " wah, wah, it is the Skeen." 



The animal has in a great degree the strong smell peculiar to the 

 males of this genus. 



The wild sheep is the same as that which in my trip to the 

 Burrrenda Pass, in 1836, I erroneously stated to be a variety of the 

 " Ovis ammon"; I had not then seen one near. Since that time, 

 however, I have had opportunities of inspecting several fine specimens, 

 and find it to be the " Ovis nahoor" of Nepal, which has been al- 

 ready ably described by Mr. Hodgson. It is known to the Hill 

 people of the west as the " Burrul." 



Of the " Ovis ammon," I could learn nothing, save that an animal 

 apparently answering to the description, is found in Chinese Tar- 

 tary, and I saw an enormous pair of its horns, nailed among other 

 kinds, to a tree as an offering to Devi. 



It is said by writers, that one of the descriptive characters of 

 the European vulture eagle consists in its proneness to attack the 

 flocks of sheep, dashing downwards from on high with irresistible 

 strength, and hurling the young or sick animals over some preci- 

 pice, in order that it may banquet on the crushed and mangled 

 carcase. 



If such account be true, it furnishes a strong additional reason 

 for separating the " Lamergeyer" of the Swiss, from the Himalayan 

 bird ; for the latter is never known to attack aught of larger size than 

 a barn-door-fowl, and it must be hard pressed indeed by hunger ere 

 it will even venture that. Its food consists, as I stated on a former 

 occasion, of carrion and offal, which it takes in company with the 

 true vultures, or snatches from the ground in its talons after the 

 manner of the kite (Falcochula) and devours it as it flies. It ranges 

 from Subathoo in the lower hills, to the barren and snow-clad heights 

 of Tartary. 



The Chough, or red-legged crow (Pyrrhocorax graculus,) is common 

 over all the snowy heights of Kunawur, from 10,000 feet and up- 

 wards. In Tartary it is very abundant, and appears to be identical 

 with the English bird, though rather exceeding it in size. In Hung- 

 rung and Spiti I observed a second species, apparently possessing the 



