1846.] Description of a new species of Tibetan Antelope. 339 



it somewhat difficult of satisfactory discrimination. To Dr. Campbell's 

 kind arrangements in my favour, I am indebted for this specimen, as well 

 as for the Goa, which were all received in November and killed in the 

 summer, and hence exhibit the summer dress of the animals. 



The present specimen of the Ovis ammonoides is that of a male of 

 eight years, and having the scull and members complete, and being 

 otherwise in perfect condition ; it displays the characteristics of the 

 species in a most satisfactory manner. 



This magnificent species of sheep measures from five and a half to six 

 feet in length, exclusive of the tail, and from three to three and a half feet 

 high at the shoulder. My undistorted specimen, as laid simply on the table, 

 gives the former dimensions, and the latter, with a slight degree of ten- 

 sion. The head to the occiput (straight) is seventeen inches, and twelve 

 inches to the base of the horns. The tail is but two and a half inches long, 

 or three and a half with the hair ; and the ears are four and a quarter 

 inches. The horns, by the curve, are above three feet, and they have 

 a basal girth of fifteen inches ; the age of the animal being eight years, 

 as marked on the horns. The stately and rather large head, has great 

 breadth, and still greater depth at the insertion of the horns, and is 

 thence gradually narrowed to its fine nasal extremity. The forehead is 

 concave,* exhibiting a considerable dip from the crest of the frontals to 

 the fore-angles of the eyes. The chaffron is straight, or arched only in 

 the slightest degree. The nostrils of the ordinary ovine shape, have 

 their mere margins, and a confluent stripe down the front of the upper 

 lip, nude. The eyes are of medial size, and beneath them are the 

 usual lachrymal sinuses, deep but immobile, and of good size, but hid by 

 hair which clothes them inside and out. The ears are small, narrow, 

 pointed, and striated. The massive horns are inserted obliquely on the 

 top of the head, considerably behind the orbits and in contact. They 

 are triangular and compressed, having nearly twice as much depth as 

 breadth at the bases. Their frontal aspect, which is presented directly 

 forwards, is flat, and is extended nearly to their tips with gradually dimi- 

 nishing breadth. Their dorsal aspect is in general, cultrated, but 

 widened roundwise towards their bases. Their lateral aspects or sides 

 are, the inner one, nearly flat, or somewhat concaved, and the outer 

 one more plainly convexed ; and thus, though the trigonal form of the 

 horns is decided, it is not perfect ; the outline of the base being ovoid. 



* Cuviersays, Ovis has a convex, Capra a concave, forehead; and he even makes 

 generic marks of these peculiarities. But in Cuvier's day, genuine wild specimens of 

 either genus were too rare to admit of just discrimination and definition of generic 

 characters. 



2 z 



