184/.] Further Notice of the Species of Wild Sheep. 355 



Mr. Hodgson's subgenus Pseudo- cervus (X, 914, and XI, 281), 

 refers, in my opinion, decidedly, to a young truly elaphine Stag {Cervus 

 Wallichii, Duvaucel), of the third year ; the horns of which had not 

 attained the size and figure which they would have exhibited in the 

 mature animal. It is most probably identical with the great truly 

 elaphine Stag of Kashmir. So much for this alleged subgenus /* 



Indeed, Mr. Hodgson should be the very last person to complain of 

 " innumerable vague and shadowy species" being " the plague of 

 Zoological science," (vide XV, 335,) inasmuch as he has burdened 

 science with a frightful list of cumbersome and useless synonymes (vide 

 for instance, those reduced in my papers on birds), based upon no dis- 

 tinctive characters whatever. Witness his catalogue of Nepalese Mynahs, 

 (V. 771 :)f and even when convinced of error, instead of hastening to 



sohitely similar to that of several specimens which I have seen alive of Equus hemionus : 

 the Society's skin of the former is in summer garb ; and I have repeatedly witnessed, in 

 England, the seasonal changes of the hemionus, which are just as Mr. Hodgson has 

 described those of the Kiang. In fact, my opinion remains unchanged that the Kiang 

 will prove, upon actual comparison, to be identical with Equus hemionus. 



Mr. Hodgson's Lupus laniger is another familiar acquaintance, of which he might 

 have seen three fine mounted skins, in different states of pelage, when he visited the 

 Society's Museum : but I cannot accede to his opinion that it has any claim to be re- 

 garded as a peculiar species, after what I have seen of the variation of Wolves of dif- 

 ferent countries, and even of the same country ; but I must reserve the discussion of this 

 subject for a more convenient opportunity. 



Some remarks on the transverse shoulder-stripe incidental to the Asinine subgroup of 

 Equus, will be found in a note to vol. XI, p. 286 : since writing which, I have observed 

 a domestic Ass with a second transverse stripe, and another with four (!) and not equi- 

 distant cross-stripes, varyiug too in length, and the last crossing the loins. Buchanan 

 Hamilton, I think, somewhere states that the Asses of Madras are sometimes without 

 any cross-stripe : and finally, I may remark that those of Lower Bengal are very 

 commonly more or less barred with black on the limbs, at all ages. That the supposed 

 Equus asinus (ferus) of Prof. Gmelin was an individual variety of hemionus, with a 

 small cross-stripe on the shoulders, I scarcely feel any doubt whatever. 



* I have indeed been assured that Mr. Hodgson's Cervus affinis, or great elaphine Stag 

 of the Nepal sal forest (X, 721), was founded on a skull and horns purchased from a 

 ship in the port of Calcutta by the Nepal Vakeel, Luckman Pardia, who presented it 

 to the then prime minister of Nepal, Bim Sen, by whom it was presented to Mr. 

 Hodgson. It certainly would appear that Mr. H. has never since been able to pro- 

 cure another specimen. 



t" We have seven species," writes Mr. Hodgson, "all abun lant in Nepal.— 1. re- 

 ligiosa. — 2. cristelloides, (nob.) — 3. Tristoides, (nob.)— 4. sylvestris, (nob.) — 5. Affinis, 

 (nob.)— 6. Communis, (nob.)— 7. Terriclov, (nob.)— And Mr. Hodgson has since 



