THE DISTRIBUTION AND HABITS 



OF THE ARGALI SHEEP OF 



CENTRAL ASIA 



DAVID SJOLANDER 



Introduction. 



The author of this paper is collector for the Zoological 

 Department of the Swedish State Museum and the A. B. 

 Filmindustri of Stockholm, and came out to China to work 

 with the Nystrom Institute for Scientific Eesearch in Shansi 

 as headquarters, which institute is associated with the Shansi 

 Government University, Taiyuanfu. 



The country where Mr. Sjolander made his personal 

 observations of the Wild Sheep, viz. the range N. of Kuei- 

 Hua-Ch'eng, was until recently included in the administra- 

 tive area of Shansi Province. — (Editor.) 



I. — Racial Division and Geographical Distribution of 

 the Wild Sheep in Central Asia. 



The highlands of Central Asia are no doubt the head- 

 quarters of the Wild Sheep. It is here that they attain their 

 maximum development not only with regard to the number 

 of races but also in the sense of bodily dimensions. It is 

 also probable that we find here the cradle from which 

 originated their cousins, the domesticated sheep. The 

 species of wild sheep are numerous, but the group which 

 generally attract the greatest interest are the giants amongst 

 these animals, namely the so-called Argali Sheep. 



