144 DISTRIBUTION AND HABITS OF ARGALI SHEEP 



wards several times when conditions justified the practising 

 of such subterfuge. A possible explanation of their lack 

 of fear may possibly lie in the fact that the rams still 

 were in fighting mood, because the rutting time was then 

 just passed (October). 



Later on in the beginning of November I once found a 

 small herd of ten animals resting on the bottom of a valley, 

 shaped like an amphitheatre. The distance was quite too 

 far for a successful shot and to> get nearer was quite im- 

 possible without being observed. The resting place was so 

 exceedingly well chosen that an enemy o<f whatever kind it 

 might have been, had not the slightest possibility of approach- 

 ing them. If I only had a man to send right round to the 

 other side, then the problem could have been solved, but 

 that day I had strayed away from my so-called escort. 



While I lay there behind a rock and reasoned with 

 myself about possible chances, if I had been at that or that 

 place, my glance fell on a little loess hill behind the sheep. 

 If I new sent a bullet right into that dusty loess — it was 

 done and without reasoning the sheep stampeded up the 

 slope right towards me; when they passed, I could easily 

 pick out the animals I wanted for my Museum, series. 

 The animals were so surprised that they did not know from 

 where the bullet came, they simply rushed blindly to their 

 fate. The whole of this exciting episode only lasted a few 

 seconds and I saw several animals simultaneously roll down 

 the steep slope in their death struggle. 



Later in the autumn when the snow lay deep on the 

 highlands or the cold northwind swept over these exposed 

 grounds, the sheep retired down to hills bordering the plain. 

 Certain places where the foothills change to small mounds 

 before they entirely merge into the plain seemed now at 

 times specially frequented. The grazing was not parti- 

 cularly abundant between the hillocks but in spite of that 

 I found them there day after day. What struck me 

 especially was that I found them one sunny and warm, day in 

 November peacefully grazing right out in a desolate part of 

 the plain itself. When I tried to get near they retired up 

 towards the lower hillocks at the foot of the range and 

 continued to feed. Next day I again passed the same place 

 but found then only three older and two younger rams. 

 They did not show particular alarm, raised their splendid 

 heads, gazed curiously for a while and then continued to 

 graze. But as soon as we stopped they at once took flight. 

 One of my escort sped a bullet after them with the lucky 

 result that one remained on the field. 



