1018 On the tame Sheep, fye. of Tibet. [Oct. 



In the dry cold plains of Tibet, which are every where varied by 

 hills and broken ground, the Changra nourishes exceedingly, and also 

 in the northren region of the cis-Himalayan mountains. He will not 

 only live but breed in the central region of the sub-Himalayas ; and 

 with extreme care may be kept alive, but not bred, in the southern 

 region of the hills, and even in the plains. But he merely exists in 

 the two last named locations, and even in the central region of the 

 mountains, he loses the fine silky sub -fleece, retaining the external 

 hairy pelage only, and that much shorn of its "fair proportions." 

 A Kirghis breed allied to the Changra, has been conveyed safely to 

 Europe, and bred there succesfully in the alpine parts of southern 

 France ; and, as both this and the Changra are closely allied to the 

 celebrated shaul goat, I have no doubt that either their exquisite 

 sub-fleece or their abundant outer coat could be turned to good account, 

 if not immediately yet after crossing the breed with some nearer 

 appropriate stock such as the Angola or Whidah. The natives of 

 Tibet manufacture ropes, caps, and coarse overalls out of the long 

 hair, and a fine woollen cloth called Tus, out of the sub-fleece, mixed 

 occasionally with the wool of the Silingia sheep. The flesh of the 

 Changra, especially of the kids, is excellent, and is much eaten by 

 the Tibetans and cis-Himalayans, even the Hindus of the central region, 

 importing large numbers for food and sacrifices, especially at the 

 Dasahara, or great autumnal festival. But upon the whole, the 

 Tibetans prefer the mutton of their sheep to that of their goats ; and 

 the former are consequently much more abundant in Tibet, and yet 

 more so in the cis-Himalayan district of the Kachar, where alone, on 

 this side the snows, goats or sheep flourish. 



The Changra, as I have said, is a breed of medial size, with a fine 

 small head full of expression, a spare and short neck, a long yet full 

 body, short rigid limbs, and a short deer-like tail, rather shorter, more 

 depressed and more nearly nude below, than in the sheep, and frequently 

 carried more or less elevated especially in the males. The narrow 

 oblique muzzle is covered with hair : the longish face and nose quite 

 straight : the short forehead, arched both lengthwise and across, and 

 furnished with an ample forelock: the small brownish yellow and 

 saucy eye placed high up or near the base of the horns. The horns, 

 which are inserted very obliquely on the top of the head, are in contact 



